Behind the Fog
by Hancock23
Summary: After Draco's entire world falls into pieces, he keeps his head up and takes back everything the wizarding world owes him, including their saviour. Genius!Draco, Powerful!Harry. Some bashing-Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and others.
1. Undeserving

**Behind the Fog**

Disclaimer: The canon characters belong to J.K. Rowlings but I own everyone else.

Author's Note: This is going to be a very long story, and I have already written around ninety thousand words so no need to worry that I will suddenly stop updating. The story will be updated every week on Thursday. Now…..

 **Chapter One-Undeserving**

 ** _His blood may be pure but his soul is tainted black_**

That was the headline that met everyone's eye when they glanced at the first page of their copy of the daily prophet. What followed was a sordid account of Draco Malfoy's apparent sexual relationship with the dark lord, and a final paragraph that implored the headmaster of Hogwarts to expel this 'dangerous' character from the school where innocent children attended.

It hurt, and yet Draco had had to keep his head up and pretend that none of it mattered to him. He ignored the not so subtle looks, finished his breakfast like he always had, and left for class with Pansy and Blaise who had not said anything about the article. The day was unbearable, what with the constant insults and snide remarks but his world did not fall apart until later that evening when he happened upon a conversation that tore everything inside of him into pieces. It was between two people, the last two he would have ever expected. Draco had had a headache and he decided to go get some potions from Severus, but he got a lot more than potions when he discovered Potter already in the classroom with his godfather. The air was different from the usual, and his suspicions were confirmed when he heard Potter speak.

 _'_ _He is tainted Severus.' The boy who lived said._

 _'…_ _.but he is your mate Harry.' The potions' master said to the boy, a regretful tone in his voice. 'The dark lord grows more powerful with each day and you are the only chance we have of defeating him. I know we are asking a lot from you but to defeat him, you must accept that Draco is your mate and form the bond. Only then can you fully come into your elemental magic.'_

 _'_ _He will be my only spouse, there will be no breaking the bond. How can I live with him knowing what he is? Knowing that the dark lord has touched him in that manner, I can't even look at him.'_

 _'_ _I am sorry Harry.'_

Draco left the classroom as quietly as he could. His heart breaking into more pieces than it ever had before. Not even when he realised that parents didn't punish their kids with the cruciatus had he felt such misery. Draco had known betrayal in his life, his parents were supposed to love him, his godfather Snape had been supposed to protect him, and Potter was supposed to be noble. The Harry Potter he loved was supposed to look below the surface, but the boy in there with Severus was just as blinded as the rest of them. He felt anger at himself for daring to hope, and he felt pain as all his hope and illusions were destroyed. He went straight to his room instead of lingering in the common room and not unexpectedly, he found Blaise and Pansy there. They were all that anchored him to this reality, they were all that he had.

'I want to take a shower.' He said and proceeded to place his bag on his desk before removing his clothes. Unsurprisingly again, Blaise and Pansy also stripped their clothes and followed him to the ensuite bath, and Draco could not be more grateful that he had been made a prefect this year with his own room and bath. He set the shower to the temperature he liked and stood under it for a few minutes before he finally spoke.

'I am terribly hurt.' He said and the tears streaming down his face mixed with the shower water so that no one could see he was crying.

'We know.' Pansy said and went to stand with him under the water.

'That article…,'he began but his voice broke before he could say one more word.

'You don't have to speak about it now.' Blaise said.

'I have to.' Draco argued. 'You know my father failed the dark lord towards the beginning of summer?' Blaise and Pansy nodded. They had been terribly afraid for Draco over the entire summer holidays; afraid of what Lucius would do to his son. They had been friends since they were born, and even though no one else seemed to notice, they had known that the Malfoy family wasn't the happy family they showed to the world. It took them years but Draco had finally confessed that Lucius put him under the cruciatus since he was a baby. He was cursed before he could even learn to speak and faster than any child should learn, he learnt not to cry, not to show emotion, never to ask for anything, and never to expect anything. His mother was a stranger to him. She loved Lucius so completely that she had no love to spare for her son. Draco had been alone, was always alone in the Malfoy manor but he could relax with his two friends. For some reason, he had known instinctively that he could trust them, that they would be loyal to him even if everyone else turned their backs on him. He let them be there for him, and he let them comfort him when he had no other outlet for his pain except crying in the shower where no one could see the traitorous tears. Getting back to his tale, he continued. 'The dark lord, he has a weird fascination with me and to earn his forgiveness, father offered me to him.'

Blaise gasped in horror and Pansy let out a pained whimper. 'I didn't know anything until it was too late. They put something in my food and bound my magic. I woke up in the dark lord's bed and he was touching me.' Draco shivered even though his voice was hollow, and that more than anything scared his friends. It was like he was retelling the story of someone else, someone who had experienced something horrific, and someone he sympathised with but not someone he acknowledged as himself. 'There was nothing I could do.' He continued. 'He was stronger and bigger, and my magic wouldn't come to me. Probably a house-elf returned me to the manor, I was in horrible pain, and had to stay in bed for a few days. Three weeks later, mother and father found out I had conceived but not even father wanted a monster's child to be a future Malfoy heir so they gave me an abortion portion.'

The more Draco talked, the calmer he became while his friends were overcome with horror and trepidation. They had not been able to contact or speak to Draco all summer, and now they knew the reason why. Pansy's father was a death eater but their family was close-knit and full of love. Blaise's mother was on her ninth husband on account of killing all her others, but she adored Blaise. For the two, it was inconceivable that a parent should do this to their only child and heir. They ached terribly for him, and at the same time realised that there was not much they could do to help his situation except be there for him.

Draco was bound to Lucius by an ancient spell of filial obedience so that no matter what he tried, Lucius had the last word until Draco came of age. As the registered godfather, Severus could have done something but their potions professor was not someone who really took interest in his godson despite the blatant favouritism he showed him in class.

As he talked, Draco separated his thoughts and placed them in different mental boxes. He pushed all the painful memories to a compartment in the deepest recesses of his mind, and marked it so that he would not accidentally open it again.

'I think I might have a way out.' He said slowly catching the attention of his best friends who had been absorbed in their own thoughts.

'How?' Pansy asked cautiously. Draco had never in his life thought of suicide and she wouldn't blame him if he started now, but she could not encourage it.

'I just overheard Potter and Snape speaking,' Blaise raised an eyebrow. 'Apparently, Potter is an elemental wizard and I am his mate.' He said, and his two friends tried to supress the sinking feeling they had.

'He thinks I am tainted and dirty, and even though Snape agrees with him, he has managed to convince Potter that he needs me if he is to gain the power he needs to defeat the dark lord. As you know, bonding with a magical creature or elemental can be done even without parental consent.' Pansy's heart bled in pain, and she could not stop the hot tears that fell down her cheeks as she embraced her friend. She understood what he was not saying. Potter hated him and thought of him as filthy, but being bound to him was better than waiting for his coming of age which was almost a year away. The situation was urgent for him. Although Draco had not said it, Blaise and Pansy knew that the rape had not been a one-time occurrence. True, the dark lord was obsessed with Draco, but he also wanted an heir and their friend would not be safe if things kept going as they were. They did not need to ask if he had had to have more than the one abortion over the summer, what they knew was that Draco was no longer safe even at Hogwarts. As sixth years, they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade every weekend and they knew Lucius had already asked him to go for all of them. The first weekend since school began was almost here, and a fear that had not been present in them was born.

Draco deserved so much more in life. No person of their age or even older, deserved to suffer as much as he had. Pansy and Blaise also recognised that they could not protect him from his father and the dark lord, but they sure as hell could make sure that Potter did not hurt him more than he already had.

'We should research everything about elemental wizards before he asks you.' Pansy said and Blaise nodded in agreement. They could control the situation as much as they could if they had more information.

'Be careful though, I don't want anyone to find out.' Draco said as he turned off the hot water. As he left the bathroom, he collected all his thoughts and feelings for Potter, the part of him that was desperately in love with Potter, and locked them away in another compartment. He had to forget this love he held because it would never be returned, and he didn't think he could survive another heartbreak.

Despite everything, Draco Malfoy wanted to live. He wanted to live so badly even though it meant the pain of being bound to someone he loved, and who abhorred him in return. He just wanted to live, but he could not say why he wanted to soo badly.

A/N: Please review and tell me what you think. Otherwise, the next chapter will be up next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	2. Bonding and Resolve

**Chapter Two-Bonding and resolve**

Draco was summoned to the headmaster's office the very next day after his talk with his friends. When he arrived, he noticed Dumbledore seated behind his desk and in front of it, Snape, Potter, Lupin, and a handsome man Draco assumed was Black. He had read in the Prophet that Black had been found innocent after the incident at the ministry of magic over the summer, but he had been too preoccupied with other things to actually take much note.

'You asked for me headmaster.' He said in a polite but cold voice.

'Yes, please have a seat Mr Malfoy. 'Draco took the open one next to his godfather. He however did not say a word, choosing to sit and wait patiently, his face betraying none of what he was feeling which at that moment, was nothing.

'You were accused of grave matters in yesterday's daily prophet.' The old man said and Draco continued to look imperiously at him before he answered.

'I do not believe there is a law against taking any person as a lover, even the dark lord.' He said. No change in expression, no hint to the world that he almost vomited even as he said those words.

'I see.' Dumbledore said sorrowfully. 'I was hoping we were all wrong in our conclusions this time.'

In the old man's 'sorrow', there was disgust and Draco could not stand to be in that room any longer. He no longer cared what they thought, but he did not want to stay there and hear them think it.

'If that is all.' He said and began to stand up, but he did not get far.

'Sit back down Draco.' Severus Snape said in a voice that brokered no arguments, and he took back his seat.

'Please refer to me as Mr Malfoy, or simply Malfoy professor Snape.' He said catching everyone by surprise especially his godfather but Draco had made a choice. All those years he had waited for his godfather to save him from the hell that was his home, but he hadn't. As it was, he would wait no longer, and no longer would he consider the man as his family. The sooner he let go of these attachments, the sooner he could protect himself from further hurt and disappointment. 'Professor…?' Draco called, raising an aristocratic eyebrow to the headmaster implying that he did not have the time to waste sitting around with them.

'Recent events have unfortunately necessitated your cooperation in….'Albus began and Draco just wanted to be gone.

'What you mean to say is that Potter is an elemental wizard and I am unfortunately his mate. We all know that I am not allowed to say no, so just cut the tale. Inform me by owl when you decide to complete a bonding.' He said and once again began to stand up.

'How do you know that?' Potter demanded angrily, his hand painfully gripping his arm.

Harry hated this. He hated that he had to bond with a person he had hated at first sight. When he read that daily prophet a few days ago, he had at first been reluctant to believe it, but then, he had remembered Malfoy's actions for the last five years and the boy wanted power. He hated that he could not best Harry in anything but studies, and suddenly, it was not so hard to believe that he would resort to getting power in that manner. Since Severus Snape had helped save Sirius at the department of mysteries the past summer, Harry had begun feeling a certain respect for the man and when he had spoken to him about the situation, Severus had not denied that the Malfoy heir was the sort to do anything for power.

'It doesn't matter how I know, what matters is that I would rather not beat around the bush, when I can just get this matter done with, and continue on with my life.'

'Do you think that being bonded to Harry will clean the mess you have made of your name-not that it was any respectable to begin with?! Perish that thought because no amount of repentance can absolve you for the sin of being you.' Sirius Black said angrily as he stood up. His face betrayed his frustration. He obviously hated the idea of his godson bonded to Draco, but he also acknowledged that that was the only way for Potter to defeat Voldemort.

'Your logic is quite flawed Black, I am not Potter, and I do not need any acknowledgment or acceptance from anybody.' Draco said with a look of disdain on his face. 'If I cared to clean this mess as you called it, I assure you Potter would be option Z, rather than option A.'

'Draco…..'Snape started but was cut off.

'Malfoy, professor Snape. I do not believe we are familiar enough to use each other's given names.' They were all stamped and by the time they recovered, the blonde was long gone.

'What in the world was that?' Harry asked, looking to Severus for an explanation but the man seemed just as shocked. He had expected Malfoy to rave and rant and maybe even throw a few curses around, - he did not know how to deal with the cool indifference.

'I don't know what is wrong with him but something has changed with him.' Snape said with a frown. 'The hot headed Draco is easy to deal with, I have no idea how to deal with that one.'

'At least he agreed without being asked.' Remus Lupin who had not said a word before, commented.

'Yes, but I am concerned with his attitude.' Dumbledore said. 'You will have to keep an eye on him Severus.'

'I know.' The potions master said, his brain trying to figure out just what had happened to change his godson so.

'I want to do this as soon as possible.' Harry said. 'The faster we bond, the faster I can forget about this. Good thing that an elemental bond is not as demanding as magical creature bonds.'

'Thank Godric for small mercies.' Sirius agreed. 'Although you will have to live together, and consummate the bond at least once within three months of the bonding. After that, you will be free to live different lives.'

'Yes, thank merlin.' Harry deadpanned. Three months of living with Malfoy, three months of sharing a bed, sex with someone who considered having a monster as a lover acceptable, three months in which he wouldn't be able to touch Ginny…..,three months was a very long time in his eyes, and it gave him nausea.

'I think we should perform the ceremony before the weekend arrives. Lucius has instructed Draco to go to Hogsmeade every weekend, and he might just take him home if he finds out about this, we can't let that happen.' Severus opined and the others agreed.

Friday evening came faster than anyone wanted. Draco had had a hellish week, and although he was glad that the weekend was here, he dreaded the bonding ceremony that was to take place after dinner.

Blaise and Pansy had helped research everything there was to know about being bonded to an elemental, and Draco was happy that the whole ordeal would be virtually over after three months, but that presented him with a new problem. Bonding with Potter without his father's consent would cut him off from his family's fortune. Malfoy laws did not allow for disownment, but he had yet to inherit his coming of age gift so he had no money except the portion of his pocket money that he had not managed to spend. It was quite a lot since the school term had just started, but because he would not be getting more over the Christmas break, he had to be careful with his resources. Everything in him resisted the idea of taking anything from Potter, even a single knut was unacceptable because he felt expecting and accepting one thing would lead to a slippery slope of expecting, which could only lead to hurt and he did not want that. He could not take any more of that.

Luckily for Draco, he had options. Only his two best friends knew that he was exceptionally gifted. Exceptionally gifted was a humble way of putting it, he was a true genius, the kind of which had not been born since Merlin if headmaster Arwin of the Arwin Institute was to be believed. Not that the man knew the little genius he communicated with via owl mail was Draco Malfoy, and if it could be helped, he would never know, especially not now with the scandal hanging over his head.

For years, Draco had been inventing spells and potions but he had no way of patenting them without the consent of his parents. Asking them for consent would have opened a whole can of worms that he had never wanted opened. The moment he had received notice of his impending bonding with Potter on Friday evening, Draco had contacted Arwin and requested his aid in authenticating his inventions. The man ran a school for gifted children, and he had been more than happy to help.

He had used some of his money to retain a solicitor, and once the bonding was complete, he would be considered an adult and thus able to conduct his own dealings. In the meantime, Blaise who had already received his first inheritance had fronted him one hundred thousand galleon in case of any unforeseen issues. If it was anybody else, Draco would have refused but he knew Blaise would never use this against him, and were he in the opposite situation, he would have done the same thing.

Friday evening dinner went faster than Harry would have liked, and when the other students left for their beds, a small group remained in the hall.

At the Gryffindor table was: Potter, Granger, Weasley, Longbottom, Finnegan, Thomas, and the Weaslette. At the Ravenclaw table was Luna Lovegood and at the Slytherin table, Draco, Pansy, and Blaise. At the teachers' table, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape.

Soon, the doors to the great hall opened to admit the rest of the Weasleys, Sirius, Remus, and a smartly dressed witch Harry didn't know. The witch went to the Slytherin table.

'If everyone will gather to the front.' Dumbledore said and everyone moved directly in front of the high table where two tables facing each other had been erected. Malfoy and his three companions took one table, and Harry and his took the other. The teachers sat at the high table.

'To begin,' Dumbledore said. 'There are a few issues that must be agreed on before the ritual, and Harry has allowed me to present the terms to you Mr Malfoy.'

Draco nodded and sat back in his chair to listen.

'The circumstances surrounding this means that Mr Malfoy is doing this without parental consent, which will have dire ramifications on your inheritance. Am I correct in assuming that you are yet to receive your coming of age inheritance?' The headmaster asked and Draco nodded. He saw Ronald Weasley sneer and Potter smirk.

'In light of that, Harry has generously agreed to provide you with the same stipend you receive from your parents until you finish your education in Hogwarts, and a sum of ten thousand galleon to settle after you leave Hogwarts. In exchange, you are to not lay claim to his estate, or assume any responsibility on his behalf, in case of any eventuality. I believe these terms are fair, don't you Mr Malfoy?' Draco had never been so insulted but he did not show it. Pansy and Blaise, however, did not maintain such poise, and he could see them snarling angrily.

Draco nodded to the female sat to his far left.

'I am Marina Vaughn Clark, and I am Mr Malfoy's solicitor.' She said as she unrolled some parchments she had in front of her.

'Ms Vaughn Clark.' The headmaster acknowledged with a small nod and a frown.

'Mr Malfoy will agree not to lay claim on Mr Potter's estate or assume responsibility in any eventuality, but he also expects the same consideration form Mr Potter.' She said looking straight at Harry who snorted. He wanted to ask 'what estate', and he wouldn't be caught taking responsibility for Malfoy even in a life or death situation.

'I agree.' He answered simply.

'Mr Malfoy also wishes to forego your generous monetary offer.' She said and Harry frowned. What the hell? It was just like Malfoy to spit someone in the face, even when being shown some decency, but who was he to care?

'What do you think you are doing Draco?' Severus Snape shouted at his godson. He hadn't been able to speak to Draco, and the Slytherin all but treated him like he did all his other teachers. 'I know you have never been in a situation where you had no money, but you will regret not taking Potter's offer when you find yourself unable to buy those expensive chocolates you so enjoy.' The man sneered with derision.

'Professor Snape, I am well aware of what I am doing and I assure you, I would rather eat your greasy hair than accept a single knut from Potter.' Draco said, shocking the occupants of the hall into silence. 'About my Switzerland chocolates, please feel free to tell me 'I told you so', when you find I can no longer afford them.'

Snape was stamped. What the hell happened? Draco had always looked up to him all his life, but now he treated him like some distasteful thing he found beneath his shoe.

'Moving on,' the solicitor said. 'If by an accidental chance my client conceives during the mandatory consummation of this bonding, Mr Malfoy requests that you give up all fatherly rights over the child. In exchange, he will not expect any help, monetary or otherwise in raising the child; you are to have no say whatsoever in their life.'

Harry was shocked. He had not thought of children. Contraceptives failed sometimes and accidental children arose from such a situation. What would he do? The child would be part his, but also part Malfoy's, could he deal with that? Could he even love it? Would Ginny allow him the child? He didn't think so, and he didn't think he would want any part of it.

'Alright.' Harry agreed, stomping on the small doubt that was telling him not to agree to such a thing.

'Mr Potter, this means that you are not to be involved in the child's life even on the event of Mr Malfoy's death. He will choose rightful guardians, and you will not be involved no matter the circumstance.'

Harry took another minute to think, and another to stump down the doubt. 'Okay.' He agreed, and the solicitor nodded before standing up.

'Take a minute to go through this document before you sign.' She said as she handed it to Harry. The contract was more detailed than he had expected, and he let Hermione look at it over his shoulder. He signed when he was done, and when Malfoy did the same, the solicitor made four copies. One for him, another for Malfoy, one for the ministry and another for her records. Dumbledore also produced Harry's contract, and they repeated the same process.

'May I have the bonding rings?' Dumbledore asked and Harry rummaged in his pocket to produce a box which held the rings. They were simple gold bands.

'Mr Malfoy has provided his own ring.' Marina Vaughn Clark said and passed a ring to Dumbledore. It held a single platinum and white gold ring, and it was at this point that the fact that Malfoy would not give, or accept anything from Harry really sunk in. 'Our research has shown that there is no requirement for the bonding rings to be the same for the ritual to be complete.'

'I see.' The man said and held the platinum, and one of the gold bands in his hand.

He muttered a spell at them, and the rings glowed for a minute before they settled back to their original state.

'Boys….'he called and Draco and Harry walked to stand right before him. They repeated the words of the ritual like actors rehearsing for a play, and slipped the rings on each other without much ado for anything. When Dumbledore called for a sealing kiss, Harry froze but Malfoy did not seem to have the same issue. He leaned in and without closing his eyes, placed his lips on Harry's impassive ones for a full three seconds before pulling away, and walking back to his friends and solicitor.

He felt nothing. Everything that he had ever felt for Potter was no longer there.

'Not the most exciting wedding I have ever been to.' Marina Vaughn Clark commented when Draco arrived at her side. She had a mischievous smile and Draco could not help but return it. From their correspondence before meeting today, Draco had not known if he would like her but now that he had met her, he did. She was smart and had not brought up the elephant in the room even once. No mention of his supposed lover, nor any untoward fawning over him or Potter. She would do.

'From the stories I have heard about your relationship with Mr Potter, I had expected that one or both of you would be marrying a transfiguration monstrosity.' Draco looked at her in disbelief for a minute, before bursting out in genuine amused laughter. The sound was like a beautifully played musical piece, and everyone in the room turned to stare in shock. Pansy and Blaise had heard Draco laugh before, but it had been awhile since he had been able to, it made them smile as they listened to the almost foreign sound. Severus was having an epiphany as he realized that Draco was the source of the amused laughter, he had never heard his godson laugh before, and he wondered why. The rest just looked horrified, as if Draco Malfoy had no right whatsoever to laugh.

'It was touch and go there when the headmaster was reading the terms of the contract, but I refrained, I am beginning to have second thoughts now. Maybe marrying the giant squid would have been preferable to the boredom of this entire debacle.' He said, and this time the solicitor was the one to burst out with laughter, as she imagined trying to keep her face straight as she read her own contract to Harry Potter turned giant squid.

'I am glad you refrained, I am not sure I would have been able to keep my calm.' She said in between gasps. Yes, she would do. 'I should be heading back. You had said something about a project you would like my services on if today went well?' She asked, her voice suddenly serious and Draco nodded before taking her arm and taking her a distance away from the rest. They were not focused on Draco, but he did not want to take any chances. Pansy and Blaise naturally followed.

'Yes, I would like to retain you from now on, to the foreseeable future. I am happy with your services today, and I can tell that we can get along, which is important because I will be entrusting you with my very life.'

'I understand.' She said. 'I offer my more sensitive clients a chance to make an unbreakable vow to ensure complete trust.'

Draco nodded. He would take that chance because this woman standing in front of him, would soon have the tools that could easily destroy him. 'Thank you.' He said.

'For some reasons which I will explain later, I cannot leave Hogwarts for the time being, so I will speak to the headmaster and see if you can't come to Hogwarts tomorrow and Sunday so that we can discuss things. Are you available?'

'I do not normally take clients on the weekend but I understand your situation, what with school, so I will come.'

'Thank you.'

'However, could you ask the headmaster about the possibility of me staying the night tomorrow, instead of going back and then coming again the following morning? As you know, I have to travel quite some distance.' She said.

'Yes, off course.' Draco answered. Marina Vaughn Clark was a lawyer from France. Draco had known that no English solicitor would unbiasedly work for him, and he wanted someone he could trust so he had acquired a list of lawyers from France. He wanted someone young who could be versatile in their way, someone affordable, and someone who had a good record. Marina Vaughn Clark had fit the bill-young since she was only 21, affordable, and the records of the few cases she had worked on showed a brilliant and versatile mind. He could work with her, and they would grow together.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he walked to the headmaster.

'Excuse me professor Dumbledore.' He said cutting short a comment Bill Weasley was making to the headmaster. The Weasley first born looked at Draco with curiosity rather than the open hostility the other members of his family were regarding Draco with.

'How may I help you Mr Malfoy?' The older man asked.

'I would like to request permission for Ms Vaughn-Clark to come back tomorrow morning, and spend the night in the castle so that we may continue with our business early Sunday morning.'

The professor frowned. 'Is it necessary that she spends the night?'

'Ms Vaughn-Clark does not reside in England, and due to the urgent nature of this affair, there is a lot that needs to be done and I have only the weekend, what with classes.'

'I see.' The headmaster agreed although it didn't seem like he liked the idea. 'I will have an appropriate room prepared for her tomorrow, but this is only a one-time arrangement.' He warned. 'Any further business must be conducted through mail or on Hogsmeade weekends when I will allow her in the castle in accordance with the Hogsmeade schedule.'

'I appreciate that headmaster.' He said and went to where the solicitor sat with Pansy and Blaise. She raised her brow and he nodded causing her to stand up.

'Well then, I will see you tomorrow at ten. I have to make sure everything is in order before I head back here.' Draco nodded.

'I will walk you to the gates.' He said and took her arm like the perfect gentleman he had been taught to act as.

He returned ten minutes later, ready for bed.

'Boys, we will take you to your quarters now.' Dumbledore said. 'Just you tonight.' He warned when he saw Granger and the Weasleys ready themselves to follow. 'It will be your choice to inform your friends and family of their location after you have talked about it. The wards are set up so that no one who is not approved by both parties can enter.'

Draco nodded but Potter started to protest. His arguments were however quelled by a look from Snape.

'Goodbye you lot, I will see you soon.' Harry called to his friends and family, while Pansy and Blaise hurried towards him.

'Goodnight darling.' She said and kissed his lips briefly, followed by Blaise who did the exact same thing, shocking everyone.

'Will you need us tomorrow with Marina?' Blaise asked as an afterthought as Draco began following the headmaster.

'No need for all of us to be stuck inside.' He said. 'Also, you have to go to Hogsmeade to buy me a wedding present.' He smiled mischievously.

His two friends rolled their eyes before they also left the great hall for the dungeons.

To be continued…..

Author's Note: First, thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited chapter one last week. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter three next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	3. Rules of Coexistence

**Chapter Three-Rules of Coexistence**

The rooms professors Dumbledore and Snape took them to were in the East tower. Everyone who had ever read Hogwarts A history knew that Hogwarts had a special tower for wedded couples, but there hadn't been any married students for decades, so the tower had been closed until they found use again. The tower was guarded by a portrait of a young blonde woman; she wore a white dress and her hair billowed around her as if she was under the influence of a gentle breeze. Draco recognized her at once as the Greek goddess of love; Aphrodite, and he couldn't help but be amused by the irony. He supposed as the goddess of love, she was guarding lovers and their love, but there was nothing like that between himself and Potter, and he doubted that would ever change.

She opened to reveal a sight unlike any he had ever seen at any of Hogwarts' towers. Instead of opening up to a common room, it was more like a circular foyer with a grand staircase ascending from it-in fact, it reminded him of Malfoy manor which was in a similar design but way bigger and ostentatious. They took the stairs and followed the two professors down the right corridor. The headmaster stopped before the last door on the right and produced two ancient bronze keys which he handed to each of them, and that was when Draco noticed that the door had two key holes.

'Do we have to be together to open the door?' He asked.

'Only the first time Mr Malfoy so that the rooms can recognise you as its new inhabitants.' Dumbledore explained. 'Afterwards, either key will work to open the door.' Draco nodded and inserted his key in the keyhole, and so did Potter. The door swung open allowing the group to gain entrance. The door opened to a large space and at a glance, Draco could see that it was impeccably clean. Despite being dust-free, the room he assumed was the living room was a circus however; one side was done with silver and green, and the other was done in scarlet and gold. Each side had its own set of furniture which included a couch and two armchairs, a large study desk, and a big cavern like area whose contents were the only difference between the two sides. Potter's side was empty mostly, except for a few quidditch items, while Draco's side was filled with thousands upon thousands of books. In the middle of his small cavern was also a small Japanese table with two chess sets and a dark green cushion on one side. Draco supposed that Potter's side had no such things because he did not own them. He was satisfied with his side though.

Following the professors, they walked to the bedroom. This room was a bit more in harmony and he couldn't help but feel glad. All that chaos in the living room was enough to give one a headache. The beddings were a tasteful combination of deep wine red and a dark silver that bordered on grey, and the rest of the room was done in the same taste. On each side of the bed was a night stand, and Draco could find no fault with the room whatsoever. There was a door opening into a walk-in closet and once again, Draco noted that his things took up most of the space while Potter's barely took up a row. They walked back and entered a bathroom right off their bedroom, everything was done in whites. There was a big bath tub and a large shower within translucent enclosures and Draco thought that was one of the best things to come out of the situation. To him, bath time was sacred time and he liked that he could take as much time as he wanted without worry.

Draco also noticed that there was a small dining area off the living area. For a real couple, this would have been a great home but for the two of them, it was a prison that neither could escape at least for the time being.

'Get settled in, you can bring your friends tomorrow.' Dumbledore said and Snape followed him out the door. The click of the door behind the two professors felt ominous and sighing, Draco went to his side of the room. He walked straight to the chess sets and checked to see that the house-elves had not disrupted his games in progress. Satisfied with what he found, he decided that this was the ideal time to discuss rules with his husband.

'Let's talk Potter.' He said and headed to the dining area. It was the only place in the room that was plain white with normal mahogany furniture, meaning that it could not be considered as either's private territory. He saw Potter want to argue just to be contrary, but even he must have decided it was better to just get this over with.

'Speak.' Potter said sullenly after he sat opposite Draco. Casually, Draco produced the parchment, ink, and quill he had procured from his school bag and began to write.

 _Rules of Coexistence_

Harry rolled his eyes.

1\. Visitors- Visitors should stay on host's side of the room.

'I have no problems with whoever you want to bring as long as they stick to your side of the room.' Draco said and Harry agreed with a single nod.

2\. Property

'We shouldn't touch anything that belongs to the other, and we should tell that to our visitors.' Harry suggested.

'I agree. No reason whatsoever is excusable. If I find anything belonging to you on my side of the room, I will treat it as trash and dispose it; so make sure not to leave your things in my space.'

Harry would have to be careful because he wasn't the neatest person he could think of.

3\. Bathroom

'This one I am very particular about, never ever leave the bathroom in a mess.' Draco insisted and Harry smirked.

'Spend much time in the bathroom Malfoy? Are you spunking the monkey or taking care of your periods?' He asked with a sneer but Malfoy did not react.

'What I do in there is of no consequence. If you leave anything out of order, I will treat it as trash and dispose it.'

4\. Bedroom

This was the problem area since it was a shared space.

'No sex with other people in the bed.' Draco said. 'Your own space is fine, but never on the bed.'

Harry couldn't agree more. He knew it was impossible that Voldemort could come to the school to have sex with Malfoy, but the thought creeped and nauseated him out anyway. He himself hadn't planned on bringing Ginny to his bedroom.

'No objections to that.' He answered.

'Keep the room as tidy as possible.' Draco did not think that Potter was the kind to care about neatness, but that sort of thing bothered him a lot.

'I will try.'

5\. Sleep

'The final thing, never wake me up for whatever reason.' Harry frowned at that, confused. 'I sleep at 4a.m, and wake up at 6a.m every day. If I wake up in that period, I won't be able to go back to sleep and lack of enough sleep messes my day.' Harry did not think that two hours was enough sleep for anyone, but who was he to complain when it meant that he would spend minimal hours with Malfoy in bed? No, he had no course to complain unless Malfoy planned to cause a racket which would wake Harry up, and he commented so.

It was already past midnight by the time all the rules were discussed and written down, and Harry fell to bed sleepily thinking that he would shower in the morning. Draco on his part made a copy of the rules and stuck them on the board right next to the entrance of the tower, then headed to the living room where he read a book until 4a.m before slipping in bed beside Potter. He would have transfigured one of the chairs into a bed, but he knew that the bond required them to spend some time together for a minimum period of three months. In bed where they could not speak or see each other was the best place and like usual, he fell asleep immediately and woke at 6a.m on the hour like clockwork.

To be continued…..

Author's Note: This chapter is short compared to the previous one but bear with me this time, the next one will be longer. Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter four next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	4. Visitors

**Chapter Four-Visitors**

Malfoy was gone by the time Harry woke up. Apart from his belongings ordered in the various rooms of the flat, his presence there could barely be felt. The only evidence remaining to prove to Harry that he had not imagined the whole bonding business was the slight apple and vanilla scent that still lingered in the bathroom after Malfoys' shower.

It was seven in the morning and he quickly took a shower before heading to the great hall to meet his friends and invite them over to his new place. His former roommates and Ginny were already at the table and he walked quickly towards them.

'Harry, how are you?' Hermione asked and quickly scanned him for injuries. He had none.

'Fine I suppose.' He said as he took his seat and piled some pancakes on his plate. 'I missed you guys.' He had really. They might be in the same school but it was not the same waking up to a quiet room when he was used to waking up to Ron's morning grumbles, and Hermione's shouts to hurry up among other smaller noises that reminded him he did not live in the world alone. That had been absent this morning.

'Did the git give you a hard time?' Ron asked expectantly but Harry frowned in concentration.

'Surprisingly no. We set the rules and then I went to sleep.' He explained and the others looked at him in disbelief. He himself did not understand what was up with Malfoy and he turned to look at the Slytherin as he sipped his coffee and listened to something Parkinson was saying. 'The three months might actually be tolerable.'

'What do you mean Harry?' Ginny asked, with her arm in the groove of his arm and Harry smiled. Ginny was so warm and pretty, he couldn't imagine being with anyone other than her for the rest of his life.

'We set up rules, you will see when we go to my room.' Harry said. 'He sleeps two hours a night and is gone by the time I wake up, it's better than I could have hoped for.'

'Too good if you ask me.' Ron said knowledgably. 'He is probably plotting something. There is no way he would pass up this chance to make your life miserable.'

'I agree with Ron, Harry.' Hermione said. 'You have to be careful.'

'I know.' He answered and he did know. He sent a scathing look at the Slytherin who was still talking to Parkinson before he returned to his conversation with his friends. The Weasleys had stayed in the castle and they would all meet after breakfast to spend the rest of the day in Harry's room.

It was almost nine a.m. when the group finally stood up from the breakfast table. The Weasleys', Lupin, and Black were waiting in a small alcove off the great hall, and they exchanged warm greetings before heading to the East tower.

Harry showed them the rules by the door, even though he had rolled his eyes when he first saw them that morning, before they headed upstairs.

'These are great rooms Harry.' Molly Weasley exclaimed in admiration and the others agreed as they moved from room to room checking everything out. There was an awkward moment when Hermione and Ron wanted to break the rules so that Hermione could examine the books on Malfoy's side, and Ron wanted to check out the chess sets, but Arthur put a quick stop to their mischief. Harry had been all for it thinking that Malfoy would never need to know, but he was later grateful that Arthur had stopped it. It would not bode well for him if Malfoy somehow found out and decided to reciprocate in the same manner; Harry had no desire for Malfoy to be pawing over his things.

They talked and had fun. At some point, Ron went to Gryffindor tower to retrieve his chess set and a pack of exploding snap, and they were all playing and cheering when the door to the room opened to admit Malfoy and his woman solicitor. The mood in the room soured but Malfoy just sailed past without a word to, or a glance at anyone.

'Good afternoon.' The solicitor said politely but she also did not stop to exchange more than that general greeting.

'You really have a library in your room?' They heard her say and Malfoy turned to smile at her.

'Please Marina, this is nothing.' He said proudly. 'The whole thing doesn't fit so I have had to compress it. Go to one section and point your wand and say 'expand'. She did as she was told and she was not the only person in the room whose jaw dropped to the ground. Each compressed section counted more thousands of books, and Hermione and Remus could barely control themselves. 'I don't have much on law, but we should be able to find what we are looking for here.' He said.

'Compress.' The section that had earlier been expanded went back to its original size, and Draco moved across until he came to a section on the lower part on his right side.

'Expand.' The section expanded and Marina immediately began to grab law volumes she had never even come across.

'Maybe we should eat before we continue with our research.' He suggested and she agreed putting the books back in place. They took their places on the couch.

'Biddy.' Draco called and a small elf appeared. Her eyes were so round and happy.

'What is Biddy doing for Master Draco?' She asked eagerly.

'Some lunch for me and Marina Biddy.'

'Off course master Draco sir. Biddy is making your favourite.' Before he could say that that would take too long, she was gone and Draco sighed.

'That should take a while.' He complained to Marina.

'What about a game before lunch?' She said pointing to the chess boards, and Draco's eyes widened in pleasure.

'Good idea, I will get a board.' He said and started to get up.

'What about those ones?' She asked in confusion.

'I am in the midst of two games in those, I don't want to disrupt my thought process.' He did not see her frown as he left the room to return with another set only a few minutes later.

'What a beauty?!' Marina gushed when he had finished laying it down. It was made of mother of pearl and the pieces had emerald eyes. It was truly a beautiful set.

'Pansy gave it to me for my birthday a few years back.' He explained. 'White or black?'

'I will go first.' She said and then moved the king's pawn. The game was over in a mere ten minutes.

'How did this happen? I am fairly good in chess?' She complained and he laughed.

'You are.' He told her. 'There is a reason no one likes playing with me.' He said arrogantly.

'I demand a rematch.' She insisted.

'Alright. How about a handicap?'

'What do you suggest?'

'I will not use the queen and I will make every move within five seconds.' There was a gasp from somewhere in the room, but they did not turn to see who made it.

A short while later and many games played, Marina stared in shock as her young client checkmated her again. 'I give.' She said and thankfully, their food arrived.

'Biddy, where in the world did you get passion fruit at this time of year?' Draco asked noticing the halved passion fruits at the end of their lunch ensemble.

'Biddy is apparating to Kenya to get them for Master Draco.' Draco stared in shock.

'What about money Biddy?'

She lifted her chin proudly. 'Biddy is asking headmaster Dumblys for monies master Draco.' Draco could have laughed at the way the little elf butchered the headmaster's name, but this was serious.

'You asked the headmaster to give you money so that you can get me passion fruit from Africa?' He asked in utter bewilderment.

'No, Biddy is asking to be paid for her work.' Draco's mouth did fall open at this point.

'Why…., why Biddy? You could have asked me for the money to buy things you make for me.'

The elf looked horrified. 'Biddy would not dare, would not dishonour herself by asking money from her master Draco. Biddy is waiting for her master Draco to have a house so that she can continue serving her master.'

'You want to leave Hogwarts then?' He asked.

The elf nodded and looked at Draco hopefully. 'Biddy is speaking with headmaster Dumblys and asking him to free Biddy when master Draco is leaving Hogwarts; so that Biddy can take care of her young master Draco and his family for a long time.'

'I see. From now on Biddy, you just bring the food in the kitchens when I ask.' The elf looked like it was going to object. 'You can make me all my favourites when I leave Hogwarts, yes?'

'Yes, master Draco.' The elf replied happily and vanished but was back in a few minutes with a beautifully wrapped box.

'Biddy is getting this for Master Draco.' She said and Draco opened the gift. It was a box of chocolates from Honeydukes.

'Thank you Biddy but this are expensive, didn't you need the money for yourself?'

'Biddy is not needing money. Biddy knows Master Draco likes those. Biddy is wanting to make Master Draco smile.'

'Thank you Biddy, I will call if I need something.' The elf disappeared again and Draco smiled sorrowfully at the box of chocolates. He was about to sit down when he noticed that everyone on the other side of the room was looking at him, belatedly realising that he had not set up any privacy wards. With a series of complex wand movements, Marina and Draco disappeared from sight.

'What the hell was that?' Lupin asked in shock.

'Making a house-elf go to another continent to get his food.' Hermione spat in umbrage.

'No, not that.' Lupin said and without thinking, he sent a spell at the other side of the room but the spell disappeared before it even touched the ward.

'I have never seen anything like it.' Bill Weasley, the curse breaker agreed in awe. He could see the runes making up the ward, and to say he was impressed was an understatement.

'It's probably dark magic he learnt from his father.' Ron said with a shrug.

'That is not dark magic.' Bill refuted, still trying to decipher the ward. 'This ward is virtually unbreakable. Every ward in existence has a hole somewhere that can be exploited but this is different, it can't be broken. We could bring Dumbledore and You-Know-Who, and they would spend a week going at it and it wouldn't break.'

'Is it really that strong?' Harry asked. He knew nothing about wards especially since he didn't take ancient runes and arithmancy.

'Bill, if you can see the runes in the ward, then you can copy it for analysis.' Hermione suggested ready to reach for her quill and parchment.

'We can copy the sequence but I doubt it will do us any good.' Bill said shaking his head.

'Why is that?' Molly questioned some more.

'I have seen all kinds of wards and runes, and I can only recognise a few in that sequence. We can copy but without knowing what they are and how they interrelate, we can't recreate this ward. The best option is to ask Draco Malfoy.'

'True, even the wand movement was not normal. 'Remus intoned but with nothing further to add to the topic, everyone fell silent and they went back to their games of exploding snap and chess.

Within the wards, Marina and Draco made quick work of their food before going back to work.

'I am satisfied with the structure of the business we have come up with.' Draco said. Instead of using an alias, Marina had suggested starting a corporation where Draco Malfoy was the sole owner and having the corporation own the patents they managed to register. The business would be registered in Switzerland where that countrys' Gringotts followed the laws of the country, ensuring anonymity of the company's ownership.

'Tomorrow, we can discuss staffing of the company and the procedures for registering the patents and acquiring clientele.' Marina agreed and excitement pumped in her veins. She had really hit a big one, Draco Malfoy was no ordinary teen.

He cancelled the wards he had put up and was surprised to find Potter's guests still there.

'I will go back to my room and organize my notes.' Marina said before starting for the door.

'Don't forget the charms.' He called and she nodded before heading out. He was thinking of taking a shower when a red head accosted him. It was Bill Weasley and for all that he was a Weasley, Draco did not mind him.

'Can we talk for a moment?' The man asked and although Draco really wanted that shower, he thought that it would do no harm to speak to the curse breaker.

'Sure.' He said and sat back down. 'What is it?'

'It's about that ward you put up earlier.' Bill said without beating around the bush. He thought that Malfoy would appreciate directness and he was right, because the blonde smiled a bit before his face became serious again.

'What about it?' Draco asked.

'It wasn't normal.' Bill said quietly in a voice that did not carry.

'Were you the only one who noticed?'

'No, Remus also did.'

'I see.' Draco thought for a moment. 'Why do you want to know about it?'

Bill thought that that was an odd question but it somehow felt important. How he answered this question would determine whether he got an answer or not, so he opted for the truth.

'Honestly, I am just curious because I am a curse breaker. Curse breakers are like thrill seekers, we like challenges and never in my life have I seen a ward that unbreakable. I want to study it.' He answered.

'So, you like studying complex things? Don't have to be wards?' Bill nodded.

'It's a new ward, newly invented.' Draco said in a low voice. 'The inventor has more where that came from and he is hiring. Would you be interested?' Bill felt excitement in his blood, the kind he felt every time he came across a new curse, but this felt even better.

'What would I be doing?' Bill asked. Gringotts had become a bore lately with him stuck behind a desk doing a lot of paperwork, and all the odd hours with the Order did not help in the least.

Draco stood up and leant in to whisper in his ear. 'One flight below the owlery, there is a slightly bent stone on the 11th step. Push it and say, 'Perseus.' Enter the room quickly and make sure you are not seen. I will introduce you to the inventor at 6.30 a.m. tomorrow, don't say anything to anybody. I promise no harm will come to you but for a reason, this project is rather delicate. Lie when they ask you what we have been whispering about. Are we in agreement?'

Draco stood and looked Bill straight in the eye, and the other man nodded.

'Feel free to look around my book collection Mr Weasley, but don't take anything out without telling me.' Draco said loudly so that the others could hear. 'I am off to take a shower.'

To be continued…..

Author's Note: I almost did not update today because there were constant blackouts at my place. Glad that the power stabilised enough for me to send this out.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter five next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	5. Decisions

**Chapter Five-Decisions**

Draco did not take his usual one hour to get ready because he did not want to keep Bill waiting in his secret room. Biddy had found it for him in his second year after he had a particularly bad cruciatus session with his father, and he had used it since then whenever he wanted to be alone. Off course he knew about the room of requirement but too many people also knew about it; so there was a greater risk of being spotted there while no one ever really went to the owlery that early in the morning.

Draco climbed the stairs and quickly located the stone and slipped inside. Large torches lit up the moment he entered and he took one of the arm chairs nearest the fire. The room was small and unlike the room of requirement on the seventh floor, it stayed the same; never changing. He liked it for that, its constancy made him feel safe and although he was taking a risk showing it to Bill, he didn't think it was the wrong decision. He heard the door open at exactly 6.30 and the redhead slid inside.

'Malfoy.' The man called in greeting when he noticed the blonde sitting near the fire.

'Have a seat please.' Bill complied.

'I had no idea there was such a place in Hogwarts.' Bill said impressed. He had been the owner of the marauders map when he was at Hogwarts, and he was sure this place had never shown up on the map.

'I would appreciate if you could keep it secret.'

'Off course.' Bill said. 'You said something about meeting the inventor of the ward?' He queried.

'I invented the ward.' Draco declared simply and Bill stared in shock. The boy had just turned sixteen, it was not possible for him to have created such a thing.

'Are you telling me the truth?' he asked.

'Yes, I made it and I can assure you that what you saw barely scratches the surface.'

'Yea, how so?'

Draco smiled. 'I will let you see the complete structure of the ward.' He said and moved his wand in the same complex movement Bill had seen the previous night. This time he was within the ward and he saw the exact runes and arithmancy he had seen before. 'Can you tell what these runes are?'

Bill shook his head.

'This part of the ward is the defensive part. It breaks down spells aimed at the ward. I created a sensor that detects a spell and the ward reconfigures itself and sends out impulses to break down the composition of the incoming spell.' Bill was flabbergasted, he had never even thought that such a thing was possible. Draco then uttered a word under his breath and did another series of complex ward movements and the runes completely changed. To become even more complex.

'What the hell?'

'I call this 'arming' the ward.' Draco said proudly. 'It's the offensive part of the ward. It uses the sensor to detect enemies and read their magic levels before sending an appropriate magical pulse to disable the enemy. It has settings from a simple stupefy, to avada kedavra.'

'…..and you say you made this?' This was something unheard of, it was something he wanted to be a part of.

'I did, and I want to start selling it among others.'

'Why now?' Bill asked.

'…because I am an adult now, and I need to make my own money.'

'I see.'

'I want to formally offer you a job.'

'What job?'

'I want someone who has a lot of knowledge on spells. Someone who can set up the wards and make sure people do not hurt themselves or others without concern. You would have to learn the integration runes for this ward, but you more than anyone; will be able to understand this ward even though you won't be able to break it.' Draco finished with a laugh.

There was a long silence before Bill spoke again. 'I want to ask you two questions before I make my decision.'

'Go ahead.'

'One, do you support the dark lord?'

'No.' There was no hesitation.

'Are you the dark lord's lover?'

'No.' there was no hesitation for this either.

'I do not need to know the details of your life; that was enough.' Bill said and Draco felt new found respect for the man.

'Thank you. Are you accepting then?'

'Yes.' Bill smiled and Draco returned the smile.

'I have a welcome to the team present for you.' Draco said.

'What?'

The boy stood up and raised his wand to Bill's temple, he waited for the man to flinch but he didn't and Draco said a word while waving his wand. Bill felt something click in his brain but he didn't feel changed.

'What was that?' He questioned.

'Living the way I did has caused me to have a healthy distrust of legilimency. What I have cast is a spell that will keep your brain safe in case someone tries to use legillimency on you.'

'How does it work?' Bill asked, honestly curious.

'I have set it in a way that the spell triggers when a password is said or directed its way. The password is 'legilimens'. The word has to be said in order to perform legilimency and when that happens, my spell counters and stimulates the brain of the castor to produce an abnormal amount of dopamine. Instead of seeing your thoughts, they will experience a heavy dose of hallucinations.'

'That's genius.' Bill exclaimed.

'Thank you.' Draco said and cast a tempus charm, it was about time to meet with Marina. 'At the moment, I have discussed the business structure with my solicitor and I have managed to get headmaster Arwin of the Arwin institute to authenticate my projects. I can't be connected with this at all, otherwise, my name will be enough to keep people away. The corporation will be my proxy and I want you to be its public face.'

'What does that mean?'

'It means that you will be responsible for dealing with clients and finding opportunities for spells, potions, and whatever. You will off course have people to help you so that you can have time for all the fun stuff. Is that okay?'

'Sounds fine.'

'Okay. I will ask Marina to drum up a contract for you and you can discuss salary and whatever you need. I am trusting you with this operation so do not fail to speak your mind and concerns about salary or whatever when you meet with her.'

'Alright.'

'I would also like you to keep some things in my mind and give me your opinion by tonight because Marina will be taking the research papers to Arwin tomorrow.' Draco continued. 'There are several inventions I have ready, and I want to enter the market with a bang so I need your help in choosing the right project to introduce first.'

'What do you have in mind?'

'Well, there is the ward I showed you. The legilimency block. A potion to remove the effects of cruciatus. I have a shield capable of blocking even the killing curse, and I have a cure for lycanthropy. I think any one of those is good but I need a definite winner for the first time.' He said. 'I will be off now, see you later.' He left before Bill could collect his jaw from the floor.

 _A potion to remove the effects of cruciatus? A shield capable of stopping the killing curse? A cure for werewolves?_ What in the world was this kid? If all those spells and potions worked and he had no reason to believe they didn't, Draco Malfoy was a genius unprecedented in history. All these curses and afflictions have been around since the beginning of magic and yet no one had been able to come up with their solutions. Bill felt elated, he was on the verge of making history. He may not be the inventor but he felt proud to even be part of the process. He was happy for the first time in a while, and he wanted to share it with someone but there was no one. His family would think he was being had. Maybe Remus could appreciate this, but he felt as if this was not the right time to tell him about it. Draco must have felt the same way otherwise, he would have suggested they bring Remus in because he had also noticed the complexity of the ward. They could all wait. As he descended the many stairs of the owlery, Bill wondered what Malfoy had meant when he said, 'when you grow up like I did?' During the bonding ceremony, Bill had thought that Malfoy was not as simple as he appeared, but he had not the slightest idea why the boy gave him such an impression-now he did. Malfoy had more to him than met the eye, and he was glad that he was among the few privileged to see that side.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Draco was exhausted by the time evening came. Marina and he had worked all day and finally decided on the first product for the market. They had chosen the potion that cures the effects of the cruciatus curse. The cruciatus curse was an unforgivable and there weren't that many people who were afflicted, but they would gain a lot of ground and respect by doing it. Draco had chosen to give the cure to the Longbotttom couple free of charge. It was not only that the Longbottoms' were a famous couple who would garner a lot of attention, it was because his family; Bellatrix to be exact had been the cause of their madness in the first place. If he was to give someone free service, it had to be them. Draco also had another reason for choosing the Longbottoms', but he did not want to think about that now.

Another thing they had decided upon was that the company needed a store in Diagon Alley where every day products would be sold, and Draco had already asked Marina to buy all the potion ingredients he would need to start brewing.

To be continued…..

Author's Note: Not much to say this week but I am used to writing an author's note; so, I will just go on and on for no reason whatsoeverJ

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter six next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	6. Suspect

**Chapter Six-Suspect**

The next day dawned as usual but everything turned from bad to worse with the arrival of the daily prophet, and his father's owl. He probably should have checked the prophet right away since the decision to read his father's letter first, meant Draco was the last person in the hall to find out that he was once again the main story.

His father's letter was simple. He demanded to know why Draco had not gone to Hogsmeade as agreed. He wanted Draco to make sure he was there the next weekend or face dire consequences. Draco chose to ignore the threats; Lucius would find out sooner or later about his changed status when the bonding papers were registered at the ministry.

Putting the letter aside, he lifted his head, ready to take a sip of his coffee before checking that day's prophet. It was then that he noticed everyone was looking at him as if anticipating something he couldn't quite figure out. Without a miss of a heartbeat, he took a sip of his coffee and then lifted the paper only to be confronted by a picture of himself walking down Knockturn Alley with his father, a few years back. He still wore his hair gelled back in the picture, and the resemblance between father and son was striking.

 ** _The menace that is Draco Malfoy._** The title said.

 _Draco Malfoy, son of death eater Lucius Malfoy and lover to Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has once again shown the extent of his taint by performing dark magic in Hogwarts. A witness to the event say that the boy performed unknown magic in the presence of ex-auror Sirius Black, curse breaker of Gringotts Bill Weasley, former Hogwarts defence against the dark arts teacher Remus Lupin, ministry official Arthur Weasley, and several students including the boy who lived. The close source who was present at the time says that the magic was foreign even to the experienced adults in the room. We can only conclude that the Malfoy heir has learnt at his father's, and master's heel, the most obscure and dangerous dark arts known to wizard-kind._

 _It is my deepest hope that the school will take action against this dangerous influence before he becomes a menace that strikes down our children._

Draco's blood boiled although his face did not show any of the turmoil within him.

'Are you okay Draco?' Pansy asked from his left as he put his paper down in favour of his coffee.

'I will be.' He answered.

'What's the plan? Surely you won't let them get away with this?' Blaise asked and when Draco gave a particularly evil smile, he couldn't help but smile back.

'I will be needing a quill and parchment.' He said and Pansy reached into her bag to produce the required items. 'From now on, there will be no need to pull punches.'

Pansy laughed and watched over Draco's shoulder as he made out a letter to his solicitor.

 _Marina,_

 _It's barely a day and I am already in trouble. How are you?_

 _To business, by the time you see this, you will probably have seen the prophet and I am done taking punches without retaliation. Prepare a suit. I will be suing for defamation and any other charge you can think of. Those named in the suit will be the prophet, Rita Skeeter, and whoever the informant is. You already have a list of suspects since you were there, ask for a formal investigation or something._

 _Contact me with updates when you have any. Work hard, and good day._

 _Draco._

As if it had sensed its master's need, Draco's elegant eagle owl appeared the moment he was done sealing the letter. It was all black, with wide majestic wings and when it landed on his shoulder, it did so with the utmost grace, just like its master. He tied the note to its leg and gave it a shoulder of bacon from his plate.

'Fly with the wind Aristotle, and wait for the response before you come back.' The owl nodded its head as if it understood its master, and took off.

'This is definitely going to cause some marital problems darling.' Pansy said and Draco and Blaise could not help laughing.

The day went downhill from there. The older students sneered and some went as far as to throw hexes at him while the younger ones looked at him like some sort of monster looming the halls. The teachers looked at him with suspicion and even Snape tried to give him a lecture about being discrete with his actions. The only redeeming factor was that he managed to go back to his room without receiving a summons from the headmaster.

Potter was not there when he arrived so he took the chance to take a shower and dress in a Japanese yukata before going back to the living room to find Potter sitting at his area. He was just about to head to his library when Potter stopped him.

'Can we speak for a minute Malfoy?' He asked, and Draco turned to him with a raised eyebrow which was all the acknowledgment he was going to give. 'I am sorry about what was in the paper today. Remus and Bill said it was not dark magic but someone must not have believed them. I asked them in here so I feel somewhat responsible.'

'Don't be. The rules allow for visitors and I agreed to the rules. It is not your responsibility.'

'Either way, I am sorry.' Harry said apologetically.

'Well, the world would be a place of sunshine and rainbows if everything could be solved with an apology.' Harry frowned at that comment but he had no chance to say anything as Malfoy went back to his area and began to look through the shelves for a specific volume. Deciding to do his homework, he forgot all about the conversation.

It took three days for the prophet to put Draco back on the front page, this time with the news of his bonding with Harry Potter and the circumstances surrounding it. Even Harry had never received as much mail as Draco did, and all of it was angry. The first came from his father who was furious and threatened him with poverty among other tortures he had never even heard of, despite spending a considerable amount of his childhood as a resident of the Malfoy dungeons. He also mentioned that the dark lord was angry and that he should not expect mercy for his latest actions. It was at this point that it hit home for Draco that he would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas for the first time in his life, and that he had no place to go in the summer after his sixth year. His mandatory stay with Potter would all but be over so he would need a place of his own before the summer holidays. The thought made it more urgent for him to make money.

His father's letter was followed by howlers from random people who thought he did not deserve Potter and that he had used some sort of dark magic to bamboozle Potter into thinking that he was his mate. Then there were the letters filled with insults and derogatory remarks, but the worst were the ones filled with curses and portions. He managed to evade all but one filled with bubortubor pus that dripped all over his hands causing his skin to erupt in angry boils that burst so painfully he was hard pressed not to howl in pain.

'This is getting ridiculous.' Professor McGonagall lamented as both she and professor Snape approached the Slytherin table to assess the damage that had been done.

'Head to the hospital wing and have your hands sorted out Mr Malfoy.' The transfiguration professor said as she performed a spell that confiscated all of his mail.

'Blaise, Pansy, come with me to my room, I will need you to be my hands for a while.' Draco stood up as his friends nodded, and did the same.

'Go to the hospital wing right now Mr Malfoy.' Snape insisted.

'Thank you professor Snape but I am well able to take care of this by myself.' He said and left without another word. Draco hated the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was kind to the students but never to him. She would always treat the others before him even when his injury was more serious, and always blamed him irrespective of who started the fights between himself and Potter.

Harry watched as Malfoy left the great hall and despite himself, he followed. Severus seemed to have the same idea and followed, a frown deeply etched on his face. He could not understand Draco anymore, and he had begun to sense that this change was not a temporary and new way to sulk. Draco was distancing himself from them all, he was cutting them out of his life like a cancerous tumour, and Severus began to feel the first stirrings of fear. He had always viewed his godson as a spoilt brat but now that the boy had turned completely against him, he felt the loss, and he felt it keenly.

Draco noticed the two followers but he did not acknowledge them. He was in too much pain and kept his silence as Blaise opened the door allowing them into the room.

'Do you have a potion for this Draco?' Pansy asked.

'No. I have the ingredients in my potion kit, either one of you should be able to make it.' He answered as he took one of the arm chairs. He noticed that Snape and Potter took the couch on his side of the room but he did not have the patience to argue with them, not now when the pain in his hands was causing his entire body to hurt. 'The kit is on the bottom shelf of the bookshelf, left side.'

Blaise located the black monogrammed case and from within it, removed a collapsible potion set complete with a cauldron, stirrers, burner, vials, cutting tools and ingredients.

'This will take too long.' Snape insisted. 'Go to the hospital wing.'

'I said I will take care of myself professor.' He snapped. 'You can sit there and continue doing whatever you are doing, or you can leave because I am in no mood to deal with you.' Snape did not say another word, not even when he noticed Draco giving Zabini the wrong directions for making the damned potion. He realised that the best way to deal with this was for Draco to ask for help himself, but what he didn't realise was that Draco never would, at least not from him.

'Pansy, put some water in the basin from the bathroom.' The girl left to do as she was told and returned with a silver basin filled with water half-through. The potion had been sitting for almost ten minutes before Draco declared it ready, and asked Blaise to pour a vial in the water. Severus winced when he saw his godson dip his hands in the water and prepared his wand to take action for when something happened, but nothing did. In fact, the boils disappeared within seconds and five minutes later, Draco removed his hands from the water. All the boils, redness, and pain were gone leaving his hands as perfect as they had been before the incident.

'Feel better?' Pansy asked inspecting his hands.

'Way better.' He answered with a smile. 'Thanks darling.' He kissed her cheek before taking the basin to empty its content in the sink. No one was speaking when he came back to the living area and began to clean and pack away the extra potion and the kit. 'I wonder if I shouldn't make a batch of potions in case something like this happens again.' He wondered out loud.

'You probably should, there is only so many potions I can make under such short notice.' Blaise warned.

'What we need to do is prevent mail from reaching you.' Pansy suggested. 'Something like a filter.'

'I will speak to professor Dumbledore about scanning your mail before it is delivered to you.' Professor Snape offered.

'Isn't that an invitation for the lot of you to read my mail? No, thank you.' Draco said with a sneer. He knew that his mail was already been scanned but there was no reason to make their work easier by giving his permission.

'Is there something you don't want known Malfoy?' Draco looked at Harry as if he was daft.

'Out of curiosity, why are you here Potter? Shouldn't you be out there figuring a way to help your girlfriend mount a defense against my suit?'

'What are you talking about?' Harry asked snidely.

'Didn't you know, Ginevra Weasley is the prophet informant? I have named her in a suit for defamation, the papers should have arrived by now.' Harry stared at his 'husband' in shock. What the hell? Why would Ginny do that, and why would Malfoy take it so far?

'You wouldn't dare.' Harry intoned.

'I dare much Potter.' Draco said as he stood to leave for class. 'Make no mistake, you all may think you have a free pass to kick me when I am down, but don't expect me to take it and curl up till it's done. Ginevra Weasley is a casualty of her own stupidity.'

Harry wanted to defend Ginny but at that moment, words escaped him. This was a whole new side of Draco Malfoy that he had never seen, and this side unexpectedly scared him.

To be continued…..

Author's Note: Hope everyone had a good week. Mine was busy, had to edit this chapter right before I had to update. Either way, I hope you like and enjoy it.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter seven next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	7. Approach

**Chapter Seven-Approach**

Bill Weasley confidently walked towards the proud manor that the Longbottoms' had lived in for generations. They were not obscenely wealthy by pureblood status but they were a respectable family all the same. Frank and Alice Longbottom were two of the finest aurors the ministry has ever seen and it made Bill happy that he could be of some help to the couple now.

Augusta Longbottom opened the door herself and invited him to a lounge that had seen better days where tea was served.

'You said you want to discuss Frank and Alice?' She asked when they were both seated and having their tea. It was still a sore topic with her and it grieved her greatly that her grandson was not very like either of his parents.

'Yes.' Bill said and put down his cup of tea. 'Have you heard of Arwin of the Arwin institute?'

'Off course, anyone who is anybody has heard of him'. Augusta answered wondering what this had to do with Frank and Alice. Arwin was famous and if he wasn't so reclusive, his prestige would equal that of Dumbledore. The man, however, was a humble genius that ran a school of genius' with a general population of less than ten. His students were known to be highly wanted by the unspeakables, and their inventions revolutionised many a wizarding way.

'You may not have heard this but I have left Gringotts and I am now working with a genius that is working with Arwin. That person has come up with a potion that can cure the effects of the cruciatus curse and headmaster Arwin has given approval for his research.' Bill said and handed Augusta a sheaf of parchments which she took with slightly shaking hands and a pounding heart. 'The owner of this potion plans to patent and market the potion in the next few days. He asked me to request your approval in administering the potion to Frank and Alice free of charge. He didn't tell me why, but he seems to care for them a lot.'

Augusta did not say a word as she silently read and Bill did not press for an answer, this was something that could not be rushed. In that moment, Augusta was remembering a conversation she had had with one of the healers at St. Mungos who was in charge of the permanent resident ward when she had gone to see them with Neville before he returned to school for his sixth year. Neville was speaking to his parents and Augusta was inquiring on their progress.

 _'_ _They are the same. It's a pity that that boy hasn't come to see them this summer, they are a bit responsive whenever he comes around.' The healer had said_. _Augusta had been surprised that someone besides Neville and herself had been coming to see her son and daughter in law._

 _'_ _What boy?' Augusta had asked._

 _'_ _You don't know him?' The healer had inquired in surprise. 'I was sure he was family since he has been coming here to see them; several times a year, for almost ten years.'_

Augusta had not had the chance to ask more since Neville had come to her ready to head to King's Cross, but now, Augusta thought about it. She had a feeling that none of this was a coincidence. Living in the small wizarding community, Augusta had known Bill Weasley since he was a boy and he had grown up to be an honest young man, she could trust him. She could also trust the reputation of Arwin. Really, there was not more she could do than trust. It was already sixteen years and Frank and Alice had not made any improvement, they could die from this supposed cure but they could also get better. She wanted to take a chance on the latter.

'You will have my full cooperation.' She said with determination. 'However, I must insist that we keep this between us for the time being. I do not want Neville to get his hopes up only to face disappointment.' Bill understood and he agreed.

'All we need to do is consult with the healer in charge of the Longbottoms and then administer the potion at the earliest convenience.' Augusta agreed again and they decided to go to on the next afternoon since Bill still had a lot to do. Marina was working to patent the potion and Bill had already managed to get a store in Diagon Alley that would be converted into a shop. There was staff to interview since he wouldn't be the one running the general store, and renovations to be made.

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Bill had sent Draco a letter to inform him that Augusta had agreed and Draco could not be happier. When he was five years old, Draco had accompanied his father to St. Mungos to speak to a healer about something and left on his own, he had stumbled upon the Longbottoms. They sat together, staring unseeingly into the distance. Alice was pulling on her hair and trying to put it in her mouth and Draco had pulled it away, remembering the many lessons on etiquette and hygiene he had had. Even at that age, his mind was unlike that of a five-year-old and he had recognised the signs of a mental breakdown. His father had found him then, and he proceeded to sneer at the Longbottoms.

 _'_ _Draco, this is what happens to people who do not listen and oppose us. Your aunt Bellatrix used the cruciatus on them until they broke.'_ Draco already knew what the cruciatus was, having been subjected to it more times than he could remember. _'Be a good Malfoy and you won't have to end up like this.' Lucius had said to his five-year-old son._

 _'_ _Yes father.'_

Before he had left, Draco had looked back to the Longbottoms and Frank was randomly throwing his hand in the air in a fast motion as if he was trying to catch something and Draco felt deep chilling terror for the first time. He didn't want to be like that. Every year after that, he went there to speak to them. To reassure himself that he was still sane despite all that was happening to him, and to harden his resolve to save them. He wanted to save them because he felt like he would be saving himself by saving them. Now, that moment had arrived and he was glad he was able to do it.

Draco called Biddy and handed her the package that contained the potion and instructions for administering it. He wanted Biddy to deliver it personally to Bill. Maybe it was paranoia, but Draco wanted everything to be perfect and he had this suspicion that his mail was being scrutinised. Good thing that he had taught Marina and Bill a spell that would change the contents of the letter if someone other than the intended recipient opened it, but he did not want to risk a reaction by putting any foreign spells on the potion.

When Biddy was gone, Draco stretched lazily and left his room to head to his secret base. Marina had sent the stash of potion ingredients and he had two cauldrons of the cruciatus potion that would not be ready for another four days since the potion took exactly seven days to brew. Right now, he needed to concentrate on the everyday potions; and hair and skin products that would be needed for the store's opening in a matter of days. Everything would be ready and Pansy and Blaise spent every spare moment helping him brew, package, and come up with more ideas.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Harry was getting really annoyed with the way everyone was looking at him. It was a combination of pity and accusation as if he hadn't given up the future he had planned for himself in order to save them from Voldemort. It was annoying, and it was doubly so when the look came from some of his friends.

'I can't believe he did this.' Ginny said angrily, pacing furiously in the Gryffindor common room. Harry had taken to coming there after dinner and leaving just before curfew. This way, he never had to see Malfoy and much to his delight, Malfoy was never even in the room when he got there. He wondered if the blonde also spent time in his common room but he did not care enough to ask.

'I can't believe you went to Rita Skeeter about this Ginny.' Harry expressed and immediately regretted his words when furious hazel eyes were directed at him.

'Are you taking his side, Harry?' She barked. 'You have been bonded for all of five minutes and you are already changing?'

Harry could not believe his ears. Changing? He had been through hell and back because of the press so he did not think his dislike for them was a hidden fact. After all, wasn't it common decency not to knowingly reveal false facts to someone like Skeeter? He knew saying that would lead to an argument, and he was simply in no mood for it.

'You only need to formally apologise and this suit will go away.' He said attracting more death glares, this time from almost everyone in the room.

'Have you gone mental mate?' Ron asked, his face flushed plum red. 'Malfoy should be the one apologising and facing expulsion. We both know who his father is, and being You-Know-Who's lover has surely exposed him to dark magic even Bill and professor Lupin don't know about. Ginny had the right idea.'

'It's true Harry.' Hermione added. 'He cannot be trusted and I am surprised that professor Dumbledore has left you alone with him. We should have been given quarters in the East tower to make sure that he doesn't do anything to you.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'I am surprised Hermione, anybody who has read Hogwarts a History should know that the wards of Hogwarts do not allow students to perform dark magic.' Everyone froze, Hermione blushed, and Harry wondered forlornly why he was defending Malfoy. Remus had told him about the Hogwarts' wards when Harry had gone to him wanting confirmation that Malfoy had not used dark magic; but there is no reason he should have used that to defend him. He hated Malfoy, he truly did, but even he was not so malicious as to encourage false rumours when he knew they were false. Furthermore, Malfoy had not been his usual pain in the arse for the last few days and Harry wanted to keep it that way.

'Maybe you should go.' Ginny said pointing at the door and with a sigh, Harry left. The prospect of apologising to Malfoy was horrendous even to him but Ginny was clearly in the wrong this time, and there was nothing that could change that fact. He went back to his room and once again, Malfoy was not present. Curious, he opened his Marauder's map and proceeded to search for the dot labeled Draco Malfoy. It was nowhere in Hogwarts. He searched again, paying more attention and even checking the secret passages but Malfoy was nowhere to be found. He was either in the room of requirement, or he was really not in Hogwarts and either scenario caused deep suspicion in Harry. Suddenly, he felt this overwhelming need to find out where his newly bonded husband went all those hours spent away from their room.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note** : Sorry for the delay everyone. I felt a bit sick yesterday so I decided to take a nap before updating the story; only I fell completely asleep and woke up many hours later. Been trying to find a free moment all day to upload this chapter.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter eight next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	8. Opening

**Author's Note:** This extra chapter is a birthday present for my friend SarahLuzie. All the best, hope you enjoy this.

 **Chapter Eight-Opening**

It was a bad day to pick a fight with Draco Malfoy. He was on pins and needles as it was because the store had opened today. A lot of the money that Blaise had loaned him had gone into buying, renovating, staffing, and creating products for the store and it was imperative that the store does well if he had any hope of repaying his friend and surviving. Blaise was in no hurry to get the money back but Draco did not want to be in debt for longer than he needed to be, so he planned to repay as fast as he could before he even began thinking about a place to live.

Diagon alley as it was, had well-established apothecaries and beauty shops, so he didn't expect things to be easy at first but he was still hopeful. So today, was really not a good day to pick a fight with him but Ginevra Weasley had no way of knowing that, and that is why she approached him as he headed to the Slytherin table for lunch.

'What do you want Ginger?' He snapped with a cold look in his eyes.

'We all know why you are doing this Malfoy'

Draco raised his brow in annoyance. 'Little girl, remove yourself from my path or I will be forced to remove you.' He had no patience with her and that annoyingly superior look she wore. He used to hate her because she had Potter but that didn't matter anymore; now, she was just another obstacle in his path.

'We all know that you are poor now and by suing me, you think Harry will pay you.' She said with a huge smirk. 'How much do you want Malfoy?'

Harry stared in horror at his girlfriend and his husband. The entire hall had heard it and everyone was holding their breath waiting for an explosive reaction but it never came.

'How very common!' Malfoy said in his most aristocratic voice, practically looking down his nose at Ginny. 'You must be mistaken but my last name is not Weasley. No Malfoy has been poor since the first Malfoy centuries ago, and of the lot, I am the least likely to break the tradition. Now, move out of my way plebeian.' Ginny was so shocked she actually moved, wanting to escape the steely grey eyes that were looking at her like she was an unsavory bit stuck under his expensive shoes. Draco had never looked more like Lucius Malfoy than in that moment, but this manner that could intimidate people was something he was grateful his father had instilled in him. He walked straight to his place at the Slytherin table and sat between Blaise and Pansy like he always did.

On his part, Harry debated whether he should go collect Ginny from where she still froze but he thought that would create even more chaos so he remained in his seat. The students were chattering madly and Ginny eventually went back to her table.

'Are you okay Ginny?' Harry asked gently.

'It was the imperius.' She said loudly, so loudly in fact that some of the Hufflepuff students at the adjacent table caught her words. 'There is no way I could move for Malfoy like that. He used the imperius curse.'

There was a gasp and Harry wanted to roll his eyes but didn't. Malfoy had not even reached for his wand, and Harry was hard pressed to imagine even Dumbledore or Riddle could perform a wandless imperio even ignoring that this was Hogwarts.

'I knew it wasn't normal the way you stepped aside.' Ron agreed, anger rising higher on his cheeks. This time Hermione chose to stay out of the conversation, probably having come to the same conclusion that Harry had. That intimidation was all Malfoy and secretly, Harry agreed that he had handled it well. Ginny had been way out of line with that comment.

The rest of the day proceeded as usual. Everyone was talking about what Malfoy had done but the Slytherin didn't seem affected by it all; in fact, he spent the rest of the day like any other.

Harry went to their room straight after dinner and to his surprise, Malfoy was already there. The blonde glanced his way once before going to take a shower and unexpectedly, Potter was still around when he got out. Pouring himself a glass of wine from a self-refilling bottle Biddy had placed on the dining table, he went to his sitting area, intent on catching up with some of his favourite manga series. His father and mother had taken him along on a business trip to wizarding Japan when he was younger and Draco had returned to England with an obsessive love for anything Japan. Since then, he got his volumes through subscription owl order and he couldn't be more grateful for his insomnia that allowed him to read as much as he wanted. He was just about to expand his manga section when he noticed Potter approach.

'Where do you go?' The boy asked.

'Excuse me?' Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

'Where do you go when you are not here?' There were no signs whatsoever that he was being suspected but Draco knew that he was. It was logical for Potter to think that Draco went to the Slytherin common room but the fact that he had asked, meant that he somehow knew that that was not where Draco spent his time. He needed more information.

'What is your reason for asking?' He asked, injecting just the right amount of suspicion that one should have for an enemy who suddenly wants to know their business.

'I am just curious.'

'Many places.' Draco answered. 'Sometimes I go to the Slytherin common room,' there was a slight narrowing of green eyes, 'the kitchens,' narrowing again, 'the astronomy tower' seriously, did the boy have sentries all over the school keeping track of Draco's whereabouts? 'Sometimes even the room of requirement.'

'What have you been doing in the room of requirement?' Draco deduced that whatever method Potter was using to keep track of him was ineffective in the room of requirement and coincidentally, his own secret base.

'Is there a reason why you are interrogating me?'

'Just answer the question dammit.' Harry spat unable to keep the annoyance at bay. Draco affected a huge sigh and expanded the manga section. He reached for a random volume and handed it to Potter.

'I go there to read Potter, does that answer your question?' Harry frowned as he looked down at the book. Dawning realisation came over his face a moment later and without saying a word, Potter reacted as Draco had expected. Looking at the book, Harry figured that Malfoy would not want people to see him reading a comic book, it did not fit with the Malfoy persona and that's why he hid away in the room of requirement to read them. He thought it was kind of cute.

'You are afraid people will make fun of you if they find you reading this aren't you?' He asked.

'If you are done interrogating me, I want to get to my reading.' Draco said as he held his hand out for the book. Harry gave it to him without protest and then thought better of it, it would be a good way to pass the time since he had nothing better to do and he had no urgent homework to finish.

'Lend it to me.' He said and Draco raised an eyebrow in question. 'I have nothing better to do this evening.' It was just lucky that Draco had already planned to stay in the room tonight, or he wouldn't have had a way to explain why he was leaving when Potter already knew of his hobby.

'You can't start with that one since that volume is mid-series. If you are sure you want to read, I will give you something else.' He said holding out his hand for the book again, and this time, Potter gave it back. 'What kind of things do you like?' He asked Harry as he put the book back in its place.

'I am not really sure.' It was true. Harry had never really had the chance to get to know what he liked. The Dursleys were too mean to allow him to know anything but chores, Hogwarts was a whole new world which he was still getting to learn and with the yearly Voldemort attacks, he hadn't taken much interest in anything except quidditch.

'I don't suppose there is one about quidditch?' He asked not hopeful at all.

'I have some sports manga but I don't recommend you start with those.' Draco said, his face oddly serious. 'I will choose something for you.'

Harry would have liked to argue but he knew nothing about 'manga' as Malfoy had called them. After a few minutes in thought, he reached for a book and handed it to Harry.

'Death note?' Harry asked sceptically.

'You don't have to read it.' Malfoy said with a shrug.

'I will.'

'Okay. There are a few things you need to know before you go.' He said as Harry started for his side of the room. 'First, take very good care of it or I will murder you in your sleep. Second, the first page of the story is on the last page of the book and you read the text captions from right to left, instead of left to right.'

Harry rolled his eyes. There was never anything typical with Malfoy was there? He nodded his thanks and headed to his couch.

It was barely 8 p.m when Harry started the book and he was shocked to notice that it was past midnight when he read the last page but he could not bear to go to bed without reading the next volume. He hadn't expected to be hooked, in fact, the main reason he had taken the book was to see what gripped Malfoy so much about manga and now he understood it. He quickly stood up from the couch and headed to Malfoy's area and like himself, he was in the throes of another series.

'Sorry to disturb you but do you have the next volume?' He asked. It took a minute for the blonde to extricate himself from his book but when he finally turned to look at Harry, he was smiling. It was the first time since they met six years ago that the Slytherin had smiled at him and it was breath-taking.

'You like it then?' Draco asked as he retrieved the finished copy from Harry's hands.

'Yea.' Harry answered simply. Malfoy came back with a bunch of books.

'All the volumes.' He said as he handed them over. 'Take care of them.' Harry smiled in thanks before heading back to start the second volume. He did not look up again until he heard Malfoy standing to get to bed but he did not follow, opting to continue with the book. He was still there when Draco woke up two hours later.

'Will you be okay without sleep today?' Malfoy asked as he went about the business of getting ready.

'I am thinking of feigning sickness so that I can skip classes today. I bet I will be able to finish all the volumes by evening.' He said without really looking at Malfoy until he heard the boy burst out in laughter. 'Welcome to the club.' Draco said.

Harry raised his left eyebrow, a habit he had unconsciously picked up from Malfoy.

'I have been doing that for years.' Malfoy explained before going back to the bedroom to fetch his tie. He came back a few minutes later to find Harry in the same position he had left him in. 'I will tell the professors that you are sick.' He said. 'Get some sleep when you are done.'

'Please take this and give it to one of my friends.' Harry said handing him a note. 'I don't want them to come here until lessons are over.' Malfoy took the note. 'Thanks.'

Draco debated who to give the note to as he headed to the great hall. The Weasels or the Mudblood were out because he abhorred them and could not stand the thought of speaking civilly to them. With resignation, he headed to the Gryffindor table, aware that his actions were causing a stir in the hall but determined to get this over with as fast as possible.

'Longbottom.' He called and the boy turned to look at him. He had changed quite a lot in his fifth year but everyone could see that he was uncomfortable talking to the Slytherin. 'Take this.' He said and gave him the note. He was already at his table by the time Neville overcame his shock and unfolded the note.

'It's from Harry.' Neville said to the others.

'What does it say?' Hermione asked.

'That he is feeling a bit under the weather and he will stay in bed today. He says he will come to dinner if he is feeling better; otherwise, he will see us tomorrow at breakfast.' He read aloud to the group.

'I bet Malfoy has done something to him.' Ron said sourly and the others nodded solemnly.

'We should go see him at lunch break and make sure he is fine.' Hermione suggested.

They returned to their breakfast and to their own thoughts while Malfoy waited for the owls to arrive. He was supposed to receive the first report on the openings performance and he couldn't help the worry that gripped him.

The owls arrived a few minutes to eight and Draco all but jumped when he noticed Aristotle flying to him. He quickly detached the rolled parchment from the owl's leg and beckoned for Blaise and Pansy to look at the report with him. They put their heads together as he unrolled the parchment.

The report came in the form of a stock list. One side was the complete inventory the shop had when it opened and on the other, the inventory after closing the night before. He quickly scanned the document and noted that the sales were slightly higher than he had expected. He couldn't have been happier.

'That's good for the first day.' He said and Blaise punched him on the back while Pansy kissed his cheek.

His corporation and shop was called 'Dragon World', and this was the beginning of what he planned to be a forbidding empire. He checked the list and noted that all the potions were still adequately stocked and there was no need to make more at this juncture. It was only a matter of days before the shop's popularity shot up when everyone realised that it was the only place selling the new cruciatus curse potion. Smiling evilly, he abandoned his breakfast and headed to class.

To be continued…..

See you on Thursday.


	9. Intermission

**Chapter Nine-Intermission**

The day reports of the shop's sales were getting better, and Draco noticed that the sales of the potions he had made with specific modifications did better than the others. He had already had to make a new batch of dreamless sleep and pain relieving potion; and even though he was encouraged by the performance, not even that could stop the butterflies jumping around in his stomach. Today was the day that Bill and Healer Favier were to administer the cruciatus potion to the Longbottoms. It had taken longer than they had anticipated for Healer Favier to agree to the potion because the man's schedule was tight and it had taken days for him to get around to reviewing the research provided but when he finally did, he had been quick to agree to the remedy. In fact, Bill was probably on his way to St. Mungo's at the moment, Draco thought as he went for his charms lesson after lunch.

As Draco thought, Bill Weasley had already arrived at and was waiting for Healer Favier to finish his rounds so that they could give the potion to the Longbottoms. Fifteen minutes later, the two men entered the Longbottoms' room. Frank and Alice were awake, and the healer had ensured that no other medication had been administered to them for the past twelve hours as had been advised in the notes. It was a struggle to wrestle the potion into their mouths and make sure they did not spit it out, but they managed to do it eventually.

'Now we wait.' Healer Favier said and took the seat beside Bill in the Janus Thickey ward. He had delegated his other duties to his colleagues because he wanted to be there in case something untoward happened.

'It should take 24-48 hours.' Bill agreed. He had read Draco's notes, and he knew that the potion was now trying to reinvigorate the patients' nerves and repair the destroyed neurons. It would also repair the glands damaged and restructure the hormone secretion systems. Augusta had opted to wait at home, trying to distance herself from hope if the potion did not work and for her sake, Bill prayed that it would. Draco had indicated that he had a successful trial, but he had not given any information about the patient and Bill had not insisted because he could tell that the boy would not be forthcoming with the information.

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Draco paced in his room all night, and he did not even manage to get a wink of sleep. He spent the following day in an anxious mood especially the closer it got to the 24hour mark. Evening came and morphed into night and still; there was no word from Bill. For the second night in a row, he did not sleep a wink and the morning found him in an even fouler mood. The smell of eggs at breakfast made him nauseous, and he settled on just coffee which made him dizzy since he hadn't managed a single bite for two days.

Pansy was the first one to spot the owl. It came earlier than the others, and Draco watched it with a mixture of trepidation and excitement as it flew towards him. Unable to stand the wait, he stood up as if being at a greater height would make him receive the letter that much faster. He did not even wait for the owl to safely land on his shoulder before he pulled out the letter and unrolled it. His eyes quickly glided over the letter, taking in words faster than he had ever had before letting it fall from his hands to the table where Pansy and Blaise grabbed it, concerned by their friend's reaction.

 _Draco,_

 _I wanted to wait until they both woke up before writing. Alice woke up at 11 p.m last night; her damage was not as bad as Frank's. Frank woke at 5 a.m. Healer Favier has conducted preliminary examinations, and he says that both should make a full recovery._

 _Good job, I will write again later with more details. I am proud._

 _Bill._

'Draco, this is…..'Pansy began, and Draco nodded as he retook his seat. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He looked at his friends and started laughing.

'I did it.' He said and his friends feared that he was on the verge of a hysterical breakdown in the great hall.

'Yea, you did.' Blaise agreed and smiled while Pansy enveloped Draco in a big hug which he returned with a breath-taking smile. None of them noticed Harry who was looking at the scene as irrational anger clogged his throat when he saw Pansy hug Draco and him smile at her like he never smiled at anybody but his friends.

'I wonder who died.' Ron asked grudgingly.

'Who knows?!' Ginny sneered.

'At least he will be able to sleep tonight.' Harry said subconsciously. 'He hasn't had a wink of sleep for two nights.'

'How would you know that?' Ginny inquired in accusation. 'I thought you said that he sleeps at 4 a.m and is gone by the time you wake up.'

'Yea, that's how it normally is, but he has been pacing all night for the last two nights.' Harry explained. 'He has probably been waiting for that letter whatever it is.'

Ginny seemed like she wanted to argue some more but the fact that their first class was in a few minutes saved Harry from getting involved and muttering that he would see her later, he left with both Ron and Hermione who were still slightly peeved that Harry had seemed to support Malfoy a few nights ago.

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Neville Longbottom was summoned to the headmaster's office as he was heading for lunch from Transfigurations. He had never been summoned there before, so he didn't know whether to be frightened or excited. However, Neville didn't waste time and headed there immediately hoping that whatever it was would be solved quickly because he was famished and did not relish the thought of missing lunch. He arrived at the gargoyles, and they sprang apart without a password allowing him to proceed up the stairs. The headmaster was in his seat, thoughtfully looking at the fire that was burning merrily in the grate.

'Good afternoon Mr Longbottom.' The headmaster said with a twinkle in his eyes.

'Good afternoon headmaster.' He replied.

'I won't take much of your time. Grab some Floo powder; your grandmother is waiting for you at St Mungo's .' Neville's heart dropped to somewhere in his toes, and he fought a sudden urge to turn and run from the headmaster. To run from the reason that he was being summoned to St Mungo's. St Mungo's where he had never been pulled from school to go before even when his parents' had a particularly nasty break from reality.

'May I ask what this is about?' He asked fearfully.

'Some Floo Neville.' The headmaster insisted. 'Augusta is waiting on the other side.' Neville realised that he would not get anything more from his headmaster and grabbed the offered powder, tossed it in the flames, and stepped into them as fast as he could. He called 'St. Mungos' and the spin in the many fireplaces felt like a lifetime before he stumbled out ungracefully to find his grandmother waiting. There was nothing in her expression to either confirm or deny his worst fears and that put him rather on edge.

'Grandmother…..'He began.

'Follow me, Neville.' She strode and left the room, so he had no other recourse than to follow. There was no chance to speak as they walked and in no time, they were standing outside his parents' room. 'Go in.' Augusta said and kindly urged him with a hand to the small of his back when she saw his hesitation.

With trepidation, Neville opened the door, and his first emotion was 'relief' when he saw his parents sitting up on their beds. Despite the fact that he did not remember them when they were sane, it was still good to have parents even if they did not know him most of the time. The second emotion he felt was 'shock' when his mother turned to him and smiled. It was not one of the dreamy smiles she sometimes had, it was a lucid smile that was meant for him, and he became speechless when he saw that her eyes had lost the dazed look they had always had.

'Neville.' Frank Longbottom called, and Neville turned to him. So that is how my father sounds like? He thought as he wordlessly moved to the two people he had so longed for all his life.

'They will be able to come home by the end of the week Neville.' Augusta said from somewhere behind him ad Neville finally let his tears fall.

'Come here.' Alice said, and Neville did not hesitate. He cried for a whole thirty minutes, and she held him, sorry that he had had to grow up without herself and Frank.

'How did this happen?' He asked when he finally calmed down.

'A cure for the effects of cruciatus has been discovered. Bill Weasley came to me and asked for permission to administer it to Alice and Frank, and I waited to tell you until we were sure it worked.' Augusta explained. 'Healer Favier is keeping them here for a few days until they have regained some muscle strength and for them to catch up with what has happened in the last sixteen years to prevent disorientation when they leave.'

'Like I said, we have most of that covered.' Frank said crossly. 'We have had quite the chatty visitors over the years.' Neville blushed deeply when he remembered all the things he had confessed to his parents over the years.

'Speaking of visitors, one of your healers mentioned that a boy has been visiting you for a long time?' Augusta asked remembering her thoughts when Bill had come to talk to her. Alice and Frank lost their smiles right away when she brought that up, and Alice nodded.

'Yea, we know who the healer is referring to.' Frank said, and there was a deep sadness in his voice.

'What is this about?' Neville asked, and Augusta told her grandson everything she knew.

'Mother, father, who was it?' It felt good to call them that and for them to respond. Neville could tell that they liked it by their smiles although they were marred by sadness.

'It was terrible.' Alice began. 'He talked to us for hours on end, and I wanted to help him so badly but trapped as I was in my mind, I could only watch.'

'True.' Frank added. 'No one should go through what he has, and for a boy that age, it was heart-breaking.'

Neville frowned. 'He talked to us about you too.' Alice said with a smile at Neville. 'He is in your year at Hogwarts.'

'Really?' Neville asked, surprised.

'Yes.' Frank confirmed recovering his mood. 'He told us you are great in herbology although we already knew that from your visits but it was good to hear that from someone else.'

'He also told us that you are an annoying coward.' Alice said with a laugh and Neville could tell that his parents really did not care whether he was brave or not, they loved him just the same. He grinned from the bottom of his heart for the first time in his life.

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Once again Harry found himself heading to his room instead of the Gryffindor common room after dinner. He simply did not want to argue with anyone for the night, and he was hoping to borrow another manga from Malfoy to read. With that in mind, he walked to East tower, and he had just passed through the portrait hole when he was met by an odd sight. Malfoy was sprawled on his stomach on the floor and thinking he had been attacked, Harry rushed to him, but there were no obvious injuries to indicate where the boy was hurt. He checked the back first; then slowly turned him, and that was when he realised that Malfoy was in a deep sleep. He thought of waking him up but gave up on that idea when he remembered that the bloke had not slept for two days in a row. It was too cruel to leave him sleeping on the floor like that so Harry did the only reasonable thing a person could do and dropped his bag on the floor, and carried Malfoy princess style up the stairs. The progress was slow, and by the time Harry placed the blonde on their bed, he was out of breath.

He took a minute to notice that Malfoy was incredibly angel-like when he slept and lamented that he did not retain the same peacefulness when awake. His last thought before he fell asleep was that cruel people shouldn't be that beautiful.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note** : Fifty reviews and more than one hundred followers, thank you, everybody. I am definitely feeling the love.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter ten next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	10. The First Step

**Chapter Ten-The First Step**

Draco woke up earlier than usual since he had literally 'fallen' asleep early and was shocked to find himself in bed. Although his brain was tempted to sit and think about why Potter had dragged, carried, or maybe levitated him to bed, he was not sure which; the biggest part of himself refused to dwell on it. Instead, he went to his secret base and put in a few hours of work on the cruciatus potion. By the time he went for breakfast, Biddy had already left with one hundred vials of potion for Bill; and Draco hoped he had not been too optimistic. Either way, he was happy when he sat down at the Slytherin table for breakfast; if nothing else, it had worked for the Longbottoms.

As usual, he poured himself a cup of black coffee and talked with Pansy and Blaise about the first Quidditch game of the year which was quickly approaching. He had quit the Quidditch team, and even though none of his housemates had asked him to, he could tell they were relieved. Lucius Malfoy was a force to be reckoned with, and he knew they must be getting pressure from their parents to cause Draco grief, and it was only their deep loyalty to him that stayed their hand. He did not want to push it and cause any one of them harm in the process.

Draco did not show any signs of expectancy, nor did he display any untoward happiness when the prophet finally arrived, and the Longbottom recovery was on the first page. St. Mungo's had released a press statement saying that the Longbottoms were fully recovered and the hospital will now be able to treat victims of the cruciatus curse better. There was an added mention that the cure had been supported by headmaster Arwin of the Arwin Institute, but it was owned by a corporation known as 'Dragon World' with a store in Diagon Alley where the cure would be available. Augusta Longbottom had also been quoted thanking Bill Weasley who had approached her with the cure.

On the following page was an interview with Bill Weasley and Draco was hard pressed not to grin like a moron.

 _'_ _Yes, I have left Gringotts, but I have left the bank on good terms, and I expect that I will be doing business with them sooner rather than later.'_ The reporter noted that Bill Weasley wore an enigmatic smile as he said that.

 _'_ _I have the utmost respect for the person who made this cure; I would go as far as to say that his genius even exceeds that of Nicolas Flamel and the wizarding world will agree with me in the coming months and years.'_

 _'_ _Yes, I mean to imply that there will be more that will blow everyone's minds away.'_

 _'_ _The cure will now be available at the Dragon World store in Diagon Alley.'_

 _'_ _A lot of the products available at Dragon World have been modified to be more effective, please visit the store and see for yourself.'_

 _'_ _For now, all the wizarding world needs to know is that the owner is a private person who wishes to concentrate on their research rather than being the figurehead of the corporation. I will be in charge of Dragon World from now till the foreseeable future.'_

 _'_ _Please feel free to visit Dragon World and wait patiently for the next revolutionary product.'_

The prophet hit people's tables at between 7 and 8 a.m. every morning, but even Bill could not have foreseen the avalanche of customers and owl orders that hit the shop. By 9 a.m., he had received no less than twenty inquiries, and he was grateful that Draco had had the foresight to send the cure beforehand.

A single vial was retailing at five hundred galleons at the store; an exorbitant price by any standards but one that was worth it. It was unlike any other potion in the market, and it was designed to get rid of damage that ranged from mere tremors to madness in the extreme case like witnessed with the Longbottoms'. Bill had never really been intrigued by potions as he had been by spells but as he quickly went through the owls he had received, he decided that he would take an interest and take up Draco on the offer to get a sample of any products free of charge for analysis.

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Draco was sitting for dinner when an owl came soaring towards him. He had not expected a report until the next morning, so he pensively unrolled the letter and read.

 _Draco,_

 _You good? Business was better than expected, I had no idea that so many people suffered from the effects of the cruciatus. Clearly, the ministry is not doing enough to monitor the use of the unforgivable._

 _First things first, we sold twenty vials today at five hundred galleons. There were many more inquiries, and more sales are expected in the coming days. However, the price seems genuinely unaffordable to some people._

 _Second, I received an initial order of two hundred vials from a major potions seller in Bulgaria with a follow-up order in the coming weeks if we put their order on the top of the list. I did some research, and I found out that Durmstrang has a habit of punishing students with the curse. The cruciatus is not illegal in Bulgaria, and the number of people under its effects is staggering-I found estimates in the ministry of magic's archives._

 _Third, a representative of St. Mungo's hospital came to see me and the hospital board has agreed to make an order of one hundred vials for the time being. They are however asking for a reduction in price from five hundred to three hundred and fifty galleons._

 _Fourth, due to the sudden interest in Dragon World, our potions supply is running very low although nothing has been completely sold out._

 _Send me a reply and do what you can about the potions situation._

 _Bill._

Draco stared at the paper flabbergasted. He had not expected this at all, at least not on the first day.

'Blaise, Pansy, whatever you have planned after dinner, kindly cancel, I need your help.' He said as he handed the letter to Blaise causing Pansy to stand up so that she could read the letter behind Draco's back who was rummaging in his bag for a quill and parchment.

 _Bill,_ the letter began.

 _I am better than good. You? I have to say that I am overwhelmed, this was unexpected. I will answer your questions in the order you asked them._

 _First, I am happy that we made so many retail sales. I would like to suggest that we sell the available stock to individuals rather than in bulk. Ask anybody in need of more than ten vials to make an order._

 _Second, write to the store in Bulgaria and tell them that we do not have that much in store at the moment but we would be happy to ship them the order in eight days' time from tomorrow. In addition to the wholesale price of four hundred and fifty galleons, assure them that we will include free samples of five of our other products for the inconvenience. As you know, the potion will take at least seven days to complete. Please prepare ingredients and large cauldrons capable of holding a large batch of potion. Make sure the package has enough ingredients to make at least five hundred vials-use the list I gave you earlier to estimate quantity. When everything is ready, call Biddy, and she will secretly deliver everything to me. I will tell her to expect your call before noon tomorrow._

 _Third, contact and offer them a deal. Tell them that we will sell the potion to them for three hundred galleons each, but that deal is contingent on some conditions. For every one hundred vials they buy at three hundred galleons, they are to treat fifteen patients free of charge. Once you can assess that someone suffering is entirely unable to afford the cure, please send them to for the free treatment. Ensure that this is kept quiet and the beneficiaries are not to speak of this to anyone otherwise it will escalate to a situation we cannot control._

 _Fourth, I will begin making the other potions tonight and should be able to send some of the quick ones by morning. Please send a more detailed stock inventory with the morning post and include the ingredients in the package you deliver with Biddy._

 _I trust your judgment so use your discretion for anything that does not require my explicit input. Have a goodnight and good work today._

 _Thank you for all your help._

 _Draco._

Draco sent the owl off with the letter before he turned to his friends who were now smiling at him after reading the letter.

'Is it too late to buy a share of this venture?' Blaise asked hopefully, and Draco had to laugh.

'Keep your money ready; I am sure there will be something we can invest in together in the future.' Draco answered, and he was not just saying it, he meant it. He was going to create an empire, his world. A world that he could be in without anyone questioning his right to be there, this was just the first step to creating that world, and he wanted the people he cared for to be a part of it.

'I will do just that.' Blaise said. 'I suppose we won't be sleeping much tonight?'

'No.' He gestured for them to come closer, 'be careful, though; I have no idea how but Potter is tracking me. If I were him, I would monitor the two of you, so we have to assume that is what he will do. I have managed to fool him into thinking that I have been spending my time in the room of requirement, but we all need to be careful. I don't want him to know any of my business.'

Blaise and Pansy nodded in understanding and the girl discreetly cast her eyes to the Gryffindor table to find the raven haired boy looking at the three of them. Scowling deeply, she went back to her dinner; she needed the energy if she was to help Draco with brewing potions all night.

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Harry could not help his curiosity. Who the hell was writing Malfoy so many letters? Lately, the blonde had been receiving at least one letter during breakfast, lunch, and dinner and it was really beginning to bother him. Harry did not think that the Malfoy's were the kind of family that stayed in touch that much and even if they were, Malfoy was no longer part of the family. He thought of Malfoy's solicitor Marina Vaughn Clark but three letters a day seemed too much even if their relationship had proceeded beyond a solicitor-client relationship. For some reason, the thought of that relationship evolving made him angry, and he had to look away for a minute to control himself and think about why he was reacting the way he was. By the time he lifted his head again, the three Slytherins he had been looking at were no longer at the table, and he sighed with resignation as he pretended to listen to what his friends were talking about.

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If Bill Weasley had been having doubts about his recent resignation from Gringotts, they would have evaporated when he received Draco's letter. Surprisingly, the young Malfoy had a heart that was rare to come across. Tomorrow, he would speak to St. Mungo's, and when the deal was struck, he would contact the old woman who had come by the store looking for a cure for her grandson and direct her to go St. Mungos the following week when the treatment was delivered to the hospital. Bill slept with a happy smile on his face and decided to open the letters from his family the next morning when he got a minute.

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Contrary to popular belief, Severus Snape was rich. He was a potions master of exemplary skills; in fact, he was in the top tier when it came to mastery of potions and over the years, he had managed to patent many potions including the wolfsbane. Naturally, he had also tried to come up with a potion that could rid him of the nasty effects of the cruciatus which came with the territory of being too close to the dark lord. He had failed. Time and time again he had failed, and he had all but resigned himself to having the shakes, migraines, and muscle aches amongst other symptoms that no common painkiller or cure could treat for the rest of his life. He had been sceptical when he read in the morning paper that the Longbottoms' had been cured but being the diligent person that he was, he had drawn one thousand galleons from his considerable wealth and purchased two vials. He intended to analyse the potion in one vial, and if he decided that the potion was legitimate, he planned to take the other. Now, after hours of examining the potion, Severus Snape was ultimately defeated. There was nothing to the ingredients, in fact, every ingredient he had found in the potion was currently sitting in his students' supplies cupboard; but for the life of him, he could not recreate it, and he had tried. The ingredients were simple enough, but the process was complex, and Severus had even noticed some sort of rune whose purpose he could not tell. Deciding to sleep off his frustration, he stored the unopened vial in his bedside drawer. Tomorrow was a school day, and the instructions that came with the vial said that after taking the cure, one would go into a fevered curative sleep that lasted between 24-48 hours. He hoped he would have come up with more results from his analysis by the time the weekend came because the knifing pains he felt in his muscles were bad enough that he did not care that he could not reproduce the damned potion.


	11. Meetings

**Chapter Eleven-Meetings**

Draco was glad that he had quit the quidditch team because looking at it, there was no way he could have handled the business, school, Quidditch practice, and still have time to read his manga. September had flown by in a haze of potion fumes and hurried meetings with Marina, and October was no better. In the approximate month since the cure had been launched, they had managed to sell two thousand vials of it, and they were still receiving orders. In fact, business was about to pick up even more now that an expert in the United States had assured that country's ministry of magic that the cure was safe and had no discernible side effects. Bill had sent him the permit that allowed Dragon World to export the cure to the States and that permit was worth more than its face value because they knew for sure that some other countries had waited until the United States gave the cure a thumbs up before allowing it for export in their countries. They expected to ship at least another six thousand vials before the month was out and Draco had his work cut out on top of the other potions he had to make.

The store had adopted a strategy of giving free samples of their other products for every order of the cure and that had drummed up more business than had initially been anticipated. To say that Dragon World was thriving would be a major understatement and the wizarding world had already begun taking note saying that no business had grown that quickly in Diagon Alley including Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes which had been a hit the moment it opened. Talking of the joke shop, the twins were in negotiation with Dragon World because they needed a new supplier for their potions once their current contract expired. The owner of the shop that currently supplied them with potions had died, and the new owner wanted to change the terms of the contract in a way that the twins didn't like. Draco could not help but marvel at the irony of it.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he turned back to the slowly bubbling cauldron of hair straightening potion, and when he was sure it was the desired colour, he went to pack the vials of acne potion he had made earlier and left to cool. There was much to be done before his meeting with Marina who was coming to Hogwarts to discuss the product Draco wanted to launch mid-November.

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Bill Weasley was prepared for it. He had been carrying out his order duties without fail, but he hadn't had an extra minute to attend the meetings. In fact, one of the reasons that he had agreed to come to this one was because he needed an excuse to be in the school so that he could attend the meeting with Draco later.

'I apologise for not being able to come to the meetings.' He said when all the order members were seated in the headmaster's office which had been enlarged to fit all the people who had come through the office's Floo; opened for the afternoon. He noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione had finally been allowed to join the order, probably because Harry had become an adult in the eyes of the law. They were not the only new faces, however; Frank and Alice had spent two weeks with their son at home before declaring that they wanted to get back to fighting Voldemort. Neville had gone back to Hogwarts, and the Longbottoms had started taking small missions for the order as they were still adjusting to the changed world. 'As you all know, I have recently quit my job at Gringotts, and my current one has been taking a lot of my time.'

'We are very grateful Bill for what you did.' Frank said, and Bill smiled.

'It's good to see you up and about, and I will convey your gratitude.'

'Both Voldemort and I have set Severus to analyse the cruciatus potion, but he has not been able to figure out how to make it.' Dumbledore said. 'I am sure you have realised that a person who can create something like that could be a great asset to the order. It would be best to approach him before the dark lord does.'

'Yes, I know, but I am not at liberty to discuss his identity.' Bill answered solemnly.

'You have sworn the unbreakable then.' The headmaster said matter of factly.

'No, I haven't Albus.' Bill said. 'I just understand his need to remain in the shadows for now at least. I doubt he will agree to work with either the order or Voldemort, but I will ask him either way.'

'I see.' Dumbledore was clearly displeased, and a tense silence fell in the room.

'Any chance you know how to make the damned potion?' Severus asked, and Bill had to smile at the man. Severus could not stand not knowing.

'I have never asked how he makes it although I have tried and failed to analyse the potion. All I know is the potion list which I am sure you have figured out and the fact that it takes seven days to brew.' It was as he was saying this that Bill got an idea; Draco needed help with making the potions, and they had been considering hiring a potion maker. Bill knew no one better than Severus and although Draco was not enamoured with the thought of working with his godfather, there was a trade that could be made. He decided to talk to Severus after the meeting was over and then pitch the idea to Draco later.

The rest of the meeting passed quickly as the different order members gave reports of death eater movements and in less than two hours, Bill followed Severus to the dungeons after excusing himself from his family saying that he had forgotten to speak to the headmaster about something and he wanted to go back.

He found the potions master in his office, about to start grading papers.

'I want to make you an offer Severus.' He said as he locked the door behind him.

'What offer?' Snape asked looking at the redhead sceptically.

'There is a way for you to learn how to make the potion.'

'I thought you said you don't know how to make it?' Snape's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

'I don't, but I could ask.'

'…..and he will just tell you?' Snape was definitely suspicious now.

'Yes, in fact, he will tell you.'

'Get on with it Weasley.' Snape said losing patience.

'We need a potion maker.' Bill raised his arm to stop Snape from making the retort that was so clearly on his tongue. 'If you can make an unbreakable vow that you will not disclose the method to anyone or use it to make potions to sell or give other people for the duration of the patent; I will get the instructions for you. Off course you will be paid for your work, and the best part of it is that you will be able to study it.' Severus Snape did not have to think much about it. He was not fooled into thinking that knowing the ingredients and formulae was all that would be needed to learn, the fact that such healing properties had been extracted from common ingredients was the most incredible thing about the potion, and he wanted to know how. 'Do you agree?' Bill asked with a smug smile and Snape rolled his eyes.

'You know very well that I can't refuse.' The man said.

'I will talk to him then.' Bill said standing up from where he had sat on a chair's arm. 'Before I go, I want you to do something for me.'

'What?'

'I want you to attempt legilimency on me.'

Severus Snape looked at him weirdly, but nevertheless, he thought it would do no harm, and he might even get lucky and find out something about this mysterious inventor.

'Legillimens.' The potions master said looking into Bills eyes, and in a moment, he was in. He saw Bill sitting in a sea of red flowers. The man was holding out his hand, and a butterfly landed on it a few seconds later. For some reason, Severus was fascinated with the butterfly, and he could not tell how long he stared at it before he came back to his mind.

'What did you see?' Bill asked and Severus flushed an attractive dark red that made Bill blink in surprise.

'You were sitting in a sea of flowers, and there was a butterfly.' Severus said quickly; as if he wanted to get the disturbing image from his brain as fast as possible. 'What the hell were you thinking?'

'I should be able to send you an answer by owl tonight. In my message, there will be a separate piece of paper with one word written on it. Hold your wand to your temple and wave your wand in an arc like this…'Severus watched as Bill demonstrated the wave, '…and say ' _dopamins_.''

'What will happen?' Severus had not lived so long by making a habit of trusting people even if they were friends, and he did not intend to start now.

'What you saw in my brain was a hallucination. Coincidentally, that is the next product our company will be launching; it forces anyone trying to use legilimency on you to hallucinate while thinking they have successfully invaded your brain.' Bill said, and while Severus was standing there gobsmacked; he left to meet with Draco and Marina. They was a lot to talk about and plan.

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Severus Snape did not receive Bill's owl until 9 p.m. There were three envelopes, and he noticed that the envelopes were numbered for some reason. He started with the one labelled one.

 _Severus Snape,_

 _I have talked to him, and he agrees with the plan. The reason there are three envelopes is because I wanted to forewarn you before you do anything. The envelopes must be opened in the order they are numbered. The second envelope contains a contract that you will sign. The contract is the unbreakable vow, and once you have signed it, the vow will be binding, and the contract will burn to register the completion of the vow. The third envelope contains several separate parchments. The first is another contract which details your compensation details-I have already signed, and if you are in agreement with the terms, please sign. The parchment shall duplicate once you have signed and one copy you will kindly send back with my owl. The second is the legilimency spell-please note that the contract will be binding for any spells, potions, and products you will be privy of from now on. The third will be a spell you will use on all your letters to me or anyone connected with this company-it creates an illusion message if the letter is opened by a person who is not the intended recipient. The fourth parchment contains what you need, detailed instructions for creating the potion. Please note that you will not be able to view the second, third, and fourth parchments until you have signed the contract. Notify me immediately if the sum is not satisfactory._

 _If you are in agreement with everything and send back a reply with my owl, you will be provided with the ingredients and equipment to start brewing the potion by morning._

 _Good luck._

 _Bill Weasley._

Severus made quick work of the remaining envelopes, and even though he was in a hurry to reach the third and see the instructions he wanted, he made sure that he did not commit himself to something that would prove problematic. Eventually, he opened the last one and read the instructions, and he had to sit down as he read. This would prove to be the most complicated potion he had ever brewed but he felt an excitement he had not felt in years bubble in him.

As he read through, the man who was lauded to be one of the most brilliant potion masters of this age was humbled. The more he read, the surer he became that the creator of this potion was a genius and the more he felt like one of his students who had to receive direction for every step to make a potion. He did not mind though because he recognized that this person was on another plane that no one, even a person of his brilliance could reach. Tomorrow, he would start working on the potion, following the instructions to the letter and he would spend every other free moment trying to understand the reasoning behind the weird stirring patterns, and timings; that were the essence of the potion.

He wrote a short acceptance letter to Bill before he went to bed. The following morning, he was shocked to find a mountain of ingredients in his personal potions lab. He did not waste time wondering how they got there, he could wonder about that later; for now, he had things to do.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** I decided to upload two chapters this week, I hope you enjoyed them. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter twelve next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	12. All Hallows Eve

**Chapter Twelve-All Hallows Eve**

Draco had not been allowed to leave the castle once since he had stepped within when the term began on the 1st of September. While that gave him more time to work indoors especially since Potter had gone to Hogsmeade on all weekends, it gave him few options when it came to choices for a Halloween costume.

The headmaster had decided to hold a Halloween ball, no doubt he planned the ball as a distraction from the increasing number of attacks on the wizarding world by Voldemort but Draco was not complaining, in fact, he considered it to be one of the better ones the man had had.

In a Manor with nothing but painful moments, Draco had always enjoyed the grand balls and dinners. He loved the chance to dress up and enjoy the best things in life, and that was not a pleasure he was ever going to give up. He did not shy away from extravagance; it was one of the few joys in his life.

His business was doing exceedingly well, and even after paying back Blaise the initial one hundred thousand galleons, taking care of overhead and more than generous staff wages, Draco now had a little under three million galleons in his new vault in the Switzerland Gringotts. He wanted a chance to use his money and Halloween would have been perfect but ordering from catalogues can only take you so far.

He sat mauling on what to do, and that's when an idea occurred to him, something that would allow him to be as extravagant as he wanted and still shock everyone into silence. Excited, he jolted a quick letter to Marina and sent Aristotle with it. He couldn't wait for the ball in two weeks' time.

He was still thinking about his costume when the door to the quarters opened and Potter walked in. He seemed exhausted and putting his bag down on his own couch; he came to sit on Draco's. This was a habit that Potter had developed after they began reading manga together. At first, Potter would borrow the volumes and take them to his side of the room, later he started reading them on Draco's side, and more recently, he sat there even when he was not reading manga. There was nothing more to it, so Draco did not say a word, and if truth be told, he was happy that Potter had taken to manga and they would sometimes discuss the books. Blaise and Pansy were not the reading type, so he had never been able to discuss this with them, and although he would never admit it to Potter, he found his company during those times tolerable, pleasant even.

'The whole castle has gone crazy.' Potter complained in a voice that betrayed his long-suffering. 'Even Hermione is talking about costumes, it's like I am in the twilight zone.'

'Twilight Zone?' Draco asked.

'It's a muggle show on television and please don't ask me what a television is because I am in no mood to explain.'

'I know what a television is; I don't need you to explain.'

'You do?' Harry inquired in shock.

'There is a subject called muggle studies in this school.' Draco answered derisively.

'Oh.' Harry said as he leaned back on the couch. He was exhausted. Hermione had been too distracted to even help him with his homework and Ginny would not stop pestering him about matching their costumes as every couple should. He could not wait for the bloody day to be over. 'I suppose you will be going to the ball?' Harry asked not knowing why he had.

'Off course, I wouldn't miss it for the world.' Harry snorted in disgust. He was only going because he was dating Ginny and she wanted to go with him. Even the headmaster's request to reassure the other students would not have been enough to drag him to the hall.

'You have a costume then?'

'Not yet, I have made the decision on what to wear just now.' Draco answered. 'You?'

'Don't know, Ginny is taking care of it.' Harry said and immediately felt as if he had said something wrong. It was certainly awkward that he was having this conversation with his husband, but Malfoy showed no indication that he was affected by Harry's choice to go with his girlfriend instead of with him. Although Harry wanted to know who Malfoy was going with, he did not ask and instead let the tense silence continue until it turned into comfortable silence.

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The days flew by, and before everyone knew it, Halloween had arrived. The ball was exclusive to the fourth years and above so the younger children had their dinner early to allow time for decorating before the ball began at 9 p.m.

Harry went to get ready at Gryffindor tower because Ginny had insisted that she wanted to make sure that everything was perfect before they went to the hall. He wore tight white breeches with knee length black boots on the bottom. On the top, he wore a white shirt with ruffles and a red coat jacket. To complete the look as King Louis the Fifteenth of France, a blonde wig covered his raven hair, and he had to admit that he looked smashing. Ron was a vampire, and they stood side by side at the foot of the girls' stairs waiting for their dates.

Somewhere along the weeks, their friendship had recovered, and Harry couldn't be gladder.

After waiting impatiently for thirty minutes, the girls emerged and they looked gorgeous. Ginny was Madame Pompadour of France, and she wore a red ball dress that toppled lacily around her shoulders exposing white skin and mounds of creamy breasts. The neckline was so low there was barely a half inch between it and her nipples, but then again; Madame Pompadour was a Victorian mistress, it was expected! Hermione, on the other hand, was the wizard version of Cinderella and she was gorgeous. Harry could tell that Ron wanted to say something about Ginny's dress, but a quick warning look from Hermione made him bite his tongue and grudgingly take his girlfriend's arm without saying anything. Harry did the same, and they left the common room after allowing two photos to Collin Creevey who was almost bouncing with excitement.

The students were waiting in the entrance hall for the doors to open when they arrived; and casting a quick tempus, Harry saw that there was another fifteen minutes before the doors opened. He used that time to look around his schoolmates. He saw vampires, faeries, nymphs, princesses, princes, and even Luna in some sort of grass costume he couldn't place but then again, when had Luna been conventional? He did not see Malfoy until about two minutes before the doors opened. What made him look was a sharp gasp, and when he turned to see what everyone was looking at, he was speechless. Climbing down the stairs was an angel, literally, an angel.

Malfoy was wearing tight cream leather pants that ended abruptly at the ankles to expose feet in white slippers. You would expect pants that tight would reveal imperfections, but all they displayed was perfection-perfectly defined thighs and long legs that were normally hidden beneath voluminous school robes. His torso was bare and from his back sprang great white wings that shimmered when light struck them at odd angles. His platinum hair fell in soft waves around his shoulders, and three inches above his head was a halo of diamonds that had been charmed to move with him. The boy was breath-taking, and Harry felt an angry pang when he realised that he was not the only one who thought so.

McGonagall opened the door at that point, and couples entered the room hand in hand. Malfoy was the last to enter, alone and looking like he owned the world and at that moment, he did. His entire image gave off the feeling of perfection; as if nobody could stand beside him without marring his unearthly beauty. He was perfect alone, and Harry panicked a bit when he thought of it like that. He was Malfoy's bonded, and no other moment in their short marriage hammered into him the fact that Malfoy was not his than that moment. He had never wanted Malfoy, he had never wanted him to be his, but now that the blonde appeared so far away, he couldn't help the irritation that Malfoy was supposed to be his but wasn't.

Draco located his friends and headed to them. People were watching him with all sorts of emotion. Some lusted after him, some wanted to be him, others hated him for being him, but Pansy and Blaise looked at him with pride, and that was all that mattered.

'How did you get that halo to stay above your head even when you move?' Pansy asked the moment he reached their table and took a seat. Beloved Pansy, she always knew what to say, and he couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

'I take it you love my costume?'

'Love it? Darling, you look delicious.' She said and let her eyes roam over him.

'I would be jealous of my girlfriend's reaction if I also didn't think you look enchanting.' Blaise also let his eyes wander over his best friend, and Draco laughed. His best friends were awesome.

'I would hate to see you fight over me, so we have to come up with a way to decide who I will dance with first.' Draco said smugly. 'Shall we call it with a galleon?'

Blaise produced a galleon from the trousers of his prince costume and handed it to Draco to toss.

'Dragon.' Pansy called. Draco tossed the galleon and let it land on his palm.

'Sorry Pans, Blaise will have the first dance.' He said as he showed them his palm where Goblin was on top. Pansy pouted, but in truth, she did not mind. In fact, she thought this was for the best. Potter would be more threatened by a male than a female, and she had already seen him looking at Draco as if he could not believe such beauty could exist on earth.

The hall quieted as the headmaster stood up from his chair on the high table that had not been moved even though the house tables had been replaced with small tables that would seat a maximum of twelve people. People began to clamber around looking for seats and Harry was shocked to see that Ginny was leading him to the table Malfoy sat at with his friends. His other friends followed closely, and by the way Hermione looked at him guiltily, Harry was sure that she had known that Ginny would do something like this. With no other options, he followed, and they sat down. The three Slytherins paid them no heed and Harry was annoyed and relieved at the same time.

'Welcome to the first Halloween ball in Hogwarts.' Dumbledore began. 'Order food and drinks from the menu, and enjoy yourselves.' The group of Slytherins and Gryffindors ordered their food without ado, and they began eating in much the same way until Ginny spoke.

'Don't you think it's a bit inappropriate for you to be an angel when we all know what you are and what you have done?' She directed the question at Draco who finished chewing his food before he deigned to answer, no reason to show bad manners just because someone did not know appropriate dinner conversation.

'On the contrary Weaslette, I think it is very appropriate.' Draco said smugly. 'You may not know this, but the Muggles have this myth. Some believe that a God created the first man and woman and placed them in a garden, but he forbade them from touching the fruit of an apple tree in the garden. Lucifer, the most beloved and most beautiful of god's angels' transformed into a snake and went to the garden where he tempted the woman to eat the forbidden fruit. The woman fell for temptation, and the result was that Lucifer was cast out of heaven and humans lost their immortality.' Everyone listened with fascination. 'No matter how you look at it, don't you think I make a good Lucifer? Just in case you doubt it, look around the hall and see just how many people are lusting after this forbidden fruit.' He continued coyly sweeping a hand over his body before he went back to his food when the girl said nothing more.

'Coincidentally, I must commend you on your get-up, it shows a real understanding of your station in life.' He said.

'What is that supposed to mean?' To be truthful, Ginny had chosen the costume because she wanted to wear something risqué and the owner of the shop had said that her dress would go well with what she had gotten for Harry.

'Ignoring the fact that you clearly lack academic excellence and your knowledge of philosophy and arts are common at best, you do make a good Marquise de Pompadour.' Draco said. 'She remained the mistress of King Louis the fifteenth to her death, and because she knew she would never be queen, she made good with Queen Marie Leszczynska and became her thirteenth lady in waiting, the most prestigious position in court at the time. Too bad the only thing you have got going is your not ugly countenance, but you could do with a lesson or two about political tact.'

The table fell silent. In not so many words, Draco had referred to himself as Harry's queen and delegated Ginny to the role of the mistress for the rest of her life. A simple commendation of her costume hid a wealth of insults.

'Aren't you the one who could do with a lesson about political tact?' She asked angrily. How dare he? She couldn't believe that he had turned the tables on her like this.

'Quit while you still have some dignity Weaselette, I grow bored with this uninteresting talk.' Draco said as he took his attention from her.

'Isn't it beneath you to know muggle history?' Hermione Granger who had been quiet until that moment decided to weigh in. Draco rolled his eyes.

'This has got to be the most tiresome dinner I have ever had the displeasure of attending, and I have had dinner with the Australian minister of magic who wouldn't stop talking about the beefing practices in his country.' Draco complained, and Pansy groaned.

'I couldn't eat beef for months without seeing his face and hearing his voice. Almost put me off beef altogether.' Blaise said.

'It was horrible.' Pansy agreed.

No one talked for a long time after that until the tables were cleared and strains of music could be heard over the noise of students moving back their chairs. Draco was just about to stand when someone came to their table; it was Marcus Flint.

'A dance Draco?' He asked and held out his hand.

'I am sorry Flint, but you will have to wait your turn,' Blaise said standing up. 'Draco has promised the first few dances.'

Flint frowned. He had been trying to get together with Draco for so many years, but the other had always been beyond his reach. Now that the blonde had fallen, he had figured that he could at least have an advantage, but that was turning out to be untrue. On his part, Draco simply couldn't bring himself to be involved with anyone at the moment, and even if he were, Flint was the last person he would choose. The boy's family were close to the dark lord and Draco had no intention of being sucked back into that world.

'I will come back later then.' Flint said and went back to his table.

'You need to deal with that situation soon Draco.' Pansy said, a scowl marring her beautiful face.

'Later Pans, today I dance.' He took Blaise's offered hand and went to the dance floor leaving a muttering Pansy behind.

'What situation?' Harry asked the moment Malfoy left the table.

'It's not your business Potter.' She answered dismissively as she uncorked a bottle of everlasting fire whiskey they had smuggled into the hall and poured three fingers into her glass.

Harry frowned. Their marriage contract said that anything to do with Malfoy was nothing to do with him, but he could not help wanting to make it his business. Marcus Flint was clearly enamoured with his husband, and he would be damned if he allowed it. He did not stop to think that his reasoning was pretty unreasonable and that he was doing the same thing with Ginny.

Without asking, he passed his glass to Parkinson fully expecting her to share the fire whiskey and she did not disappoint. She was even generous enough to pour in each glass that was given to her-they should have questioned her generosity because the only reason she gave it to them was that she was hoping to witness the Gryffindors embarrassing themselves. The fire whiskey was not ordinary, and because it was dark, they did not notice that what was poured into their glasses was a green liquid. It was a cocktail called avada kedavra that the Slytherins had bought from a club owner. Like its name, the drink was insanely strong, and a few were enough to knock out the unseasoned drinker.

Harry watched Malfoy dance with Blaise with increasing unease. The two were so close that a pin wouldn't have had the space to drop to the ground between their bodies. It made him angry and the angrier he got, the more he drunk. From there, the night was a blur, people went to the dance floor and then returned to the table to drink some more. It was almost 2 a.m when a drunk Harry and a drunk Malfoy stumbled their way back to the east tower leaving the Gryffindors passed out in the Great Hall while the Slytherins staggered back to the dungeons.

Draco had to try three times before he could finally fit the key in the keyhole of their room and they let the door bang behind them as they staggered to the bedroom. Draco discarded the wings and halo on the floor before collapsing on the bed while Harry threw his wig down and removed his boots before he did the same.

'That was not fire whiskey.' Harry stated in a voice that was trying very hard not to stutter.

'It was not.' Draco answered and turned wanting to sleep the drunkenness from his body.

'Do you think we should take this chance to consummate, you know…., the bond?' Harry asked. In his drink addled brain, he could not see a better opportunity than this. At first, he had thought to wait and use a lust potion when the time limit was almost up, but this was a golden opportunity he couldn't pass up.

'Yea.' Draco answered after a few moments of thought, and Harry turned to face him. They both smelt like they had been bathed in drink, but they were not teenage girls needing romance and the works for their first time.

Harry captured Draco's mouth in a kiss, and they both groaned at the onslaught of heat that began where their mouths met and spread to the rest of their bodies. The Gryffindor placed his hand behind the blonde's head and pulled him closer. The kiss was fiery and passionate, with no timidity or shyness, a kiss devoid of any inhibitions and it was intoxicating. Their tongues dueled for dominance, Harry's hands roamed on the naked expanse of Draco's back and the boy whimpered and pressed himself closer to the raven, wanting to be as close as possible and to feel. His hands snuck beneath Harry's shirt and traveled up to his chest to his left nipple. The little nub perked up the moment Draco's finger touched it, and Harry could not help the groan that escaped his lips. Their kisses became urgent, and in a flash, they lay naked beside each other on the bed, their erections touching each other. Neither could wait, and Harry muttered a wandless spell, and Draco felt a cold wetness in his hole, and before he could fully register it, he was on his back, and Harry had a finger deep within him. Moving it in and out, trying to stretch him and then he hit a spot that made Draco arch his back in pleasure. Harry put in another finger and then another and Draco was reduced to a mass of quivering nerves that could do nothing but whimper in pleasure.

Harry could not take the throbbing in his cock, and he removed his fingers from Draco, positioning himself at the other boy's entrance before plunging in with one quick thrust. Draco screamt in both pain and pleasure and Harry bit on his bottom lip trying to suppress the orgasm that threatened to come. He had never felt anything like it, and he had had sex numerous times before. Draco was tight, and every time he made those little sounds of pleasure, Harry had to stop himself from coming there and then. Once Draco indicated that he was good, Harry moved, taking care to hit the little nub he had felt earlier, and Draco keened with pleasure every time he did. It did not take long for either of them before they both unraveled and came with a force that almost arched them off the bed.

Harry did not pull out immediately as they both tried to recover their breath. There were no words spoken but somewhere along the way; they had made a non-verbal agreement. That day, they fucked until the morning sun's rays stole into the room and they collapsed on the bed with exhaustion. When Harry next woke up, Malfoy was gone, and there was no clue of what had happened in the rooms, on the bed or even on his person. He took a shower and went to see how his friends were doing and hopefully head to lunch with them.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Sorry I was late in uploading this chapter, was too tired yesterday. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter thirteen next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	13. The Holidays and Endings

**The Holidays and Endings**

November had gone by fast. Dragon World had launched the legillimency breaking spell and the letter charm that prevented other people from reading one's mail. Draco had spent the first half of November trying to figure a way to sell the spells so that only the person who purchased it could use it. It was hard work, but eventually, he had managed. The legillimency spell was retailing at one hundred galleons, and although it wasn't as successful as the cruciatus cure, it had sold remarkably well, and he knew for one that even Potter had bought it. He understood that the spell wasn't as marketable because there were very few people capable of legillimency and most of the population were not at risk of exposure. He was not complaining though since they had managed to sell five hundred spells in the latter half of November. The letter charm was, however, another matter; it was their biggest seller yet. At twenty galleons, they had already sold ten thousand pieces in half a month. Business was good and not even the summons by Dumbledore could dampen his mood as the Christmas holidays approached.

He walked with Potter to the headmaster's office, and as he expected, he found Snape, Lupin, and Black already waiting. They took their seats opposite the headmaster and waited to be addressed.

'The three months the bond requires you to be together will be over soon.' Dumbledore said. 'You need to consummate the bond.' He said to them, and Harry flushed scarlet. They had neither spoken to each other nor others about that incident.

'I…... we…,'Harry stammered as a dark red took over his normally tan face.

'What Potter means to say is that we have already completed the bond.' Draco informed casually causing Harry to flush even more especially when every eye in the room turned to him.

'I…., yes.' He confirmed without meeting anyone's eye.

'That is good then.' The headmaster continued, surprised that Harry had not come to him to report the situation. 'Christmas holidays are approaching, and naturally, Mr. Malfoy cannot return home. Usually, he would be able to stay at Hogwarts, but this year there is no one staying back for the holidays. With a war looming over all our heads, most families have chosen to spend the holidays together.'

'What are you saying headmaster?' Harry asked in alarm.

'Mr. Malfoy will have to come to order headquarters over the winter break.' Albus answered solemnly.

'Absolutely not!' Draco said with a note of finality in his voice. 'I don't have to go anywhere. I have fulfilled the contract, and it is my prerogative where I go over the break.' He argued stubbornly.

'You should understand that we can't just let you go wherever you want now that you are bonded to Harry.' Dumbledore said. 'You are a target now.'

'It's not as if we want you there, but nothing can be done about this until after Voldemort is dead.' Sirius Black said.

Draco supposed that he should have expected this, but it still came as a surprise. It was the logical conclusion, and he should have already inferred as much, but he had still held some irrational hope that he would be allowed to go as he pleased.

'You will pack your things and be ready to leave with everyone else tomorrow afternoon, but come back here instead.' Dumbledore said, and after they had agreed, Harry and Draco left the office for the East tower. They didn't talk. Harry wanted to say that he was sorry but didn't, while Malfoy just kept his mouth shut for fear of saying something incredibly rude to Potter. His earlier mood was ruined, and he packed his belongings under a gloomy cloud.

Harry spent the night at Gryffindor tower preferring to steer away from the clearly pissed blonde and Draco invited Blaise and Pansy to stay the night because he would be unable to see them for the whole break. They talked and played games the entire time before saying goodbye at noon.

Draco had shrunk his trunks and put them in his pocket, and at precisely 2 p.m., he found himself with the golden trio and Ginevra Weasley in Dumbledore's office. The headmaster gave him a piece of paper with an address, and Draco surmised that the old coot was the secret keeper of the order of the phoenix's headquarters. The paper burst into flames after he had read it.

Without wasting a moment, Dumbledore placed a Knut in each of their hands, and at exactly 2.02 p.m., Draco felt the familiar tug of portkey travel, and a moment later, he appeared in a kitchen filled to the brim with people. They were all looking at him like he was a troll in their midst, but he had no difficulty keeping his head up.

'Settle in and get ready for dinner.' Molly Weasley said after greeting her children, Harry, and Hermione cheerfully, but giving only a slight nod to Draco. 'Ron, you are with Harry in your usual room, Ginny is with Hermione, and Malfoy is in the room next to yours Harry.' Harry nodded, and Draco followed the group up the stairs, wanting to leave the tense atmosphere as fast as possible. He wanted to get into his room and unpack the equipment and ingredients he had packed in his trunks. Draco had brought enough supplies to make several hundred potion vials but considering this was the holiday season, he expected them to be used up in no time, and he would have to get Bill to bring the exhausted ingredients whenever he could.

The room he was showed into was small but clean and he was just glad that he didn't have to share with anyone.

'Dinner is at 8 Malfoy.' Harry said as Draco locked the door behind him leaving Potter to proceed to his own room.

'I can't believe Dumbledore thinks it's okay to send Malfoy here.' Ron complained as they entered their room. 'He is going to spoil the holidays for us.' Harry couldn't argue with that because he also thought the same. It's not like Malfoy would go out of his way to cause trouble, but people would not act like they usually do with him there. This was the first Christmas Harry was spending with his friends and godfather away from Hogwarts, and he had wanted it to be perfect.

To while away the hours before dinner, Harry played chess with Ron as Hermione and Ginny watched, and they all went to the kitchen for dinner a few minutes before eight. Malfoy showed up just before the hour and took a seat next to Bill who had arrived sometime in the afternoon. They greeted each other politely and showed no sign of the familiarity that had become normal to them.

As they waited for Molly to put food on the table, Draco looked around the room and recognised some faces while others were strangers to him. He saw Kingsley Shackelbolt, Mad-eye-moody, Mundungus Fletcher, and his cousin Nymphadora Tonks. Snape and some other teachers including Lupin, Dumbledore, and McGonagall were also present, and Draco couldn't have felt more out of place.

'Everybody eat up.' Molly said as she sat beside her husband and the gathered started scooping food on their plates. Those seated next to each other engaged in conversation, but Draco was a bit surprised when Bill began talking to him.

'It's not always this full.' The redhead said, and Draco could not help but smile and be glad of a friendly face in a sea of hostility. He was particularly worried about the ex-Auror Moody and his bloody eye which could see through walls; Draco knew that he would have to be very careful and find a way to hide the activities in his room especially from Moody.

Dinner was mostly a quiet affair, and Draco had the distinct impression that everyone was holding their tongues because they thought they could not speak freely in front of him. He was almost home free when a silvery thing streaked through the room and came to stand right in front of him on the table. It was a tiger Patronus that Draco had never seen before but recognised the moment it opened its mouth to speak its message because it spoke in the voice of his solicitor, Marina Vaughn Clark.

 _WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DRACO? I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU FOR HOURS, AND MY OWL HAS JUST RETURNED: LOOKING HARASSED AND WITH THE LETTER UNOPENED. I APOLOGISE FOR THE PUBLIC MANNER IN WHICH I AM RELAYING THIS MESSAGE BUT ITS VERY URGENT. I HAVE LOCATED WHAT YOU ASKED ME TO, AND THE OWNER IS WILLING TO SELL FOR A PRICE OF THREE MILLION GALLEONS IF WE CAN PAY RIGHT AWAY. I AGREED, BUT THE BLOODY GOBLINS WON'T ALLOW ME TO WITHDRAW THAT MUCH FROM YOUR VAULTS WITHOUT SIGNED WRITTEN CONSENT FROM YOU. WE HAVE ANOTHER THIRTY-EIGHT MINUTES BEFORE THE OFFER BECOMES NULL AND VOID. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME RIGHT AWAY._

'Bloody hell.' Draco cursed as he pushed his chair back. 'You didn't tell me I would be unreachable in this place Professor Dumbledore.' The blonde said as he glared in accusation at the headmaster but began to leave the room before anyone could explain.

'Where are you going Draco?' Severus Snape asked as he stood up to stop his godson.

'I don't have time for this right now.' Draco said. 'I need to be somewhere not here.' Draco's mind was spinning. Three million galleons was more than he had expected but he would pay it if he could get what he wanted. He had painstakingly pored through hundreds of texts before he even found a clue to what he wanted. He had found his home; a castle that had originally been part of Salazar Slytherin's estate and he would be damned if he lost it. The grounds were expansive and would be more than enough to grow and keep plants and creatures. He had to have it.

'I cannot allow you to leave Mr. Malfoy.' Dumbledore said.

'Good thing I don't care what you can allow or not at this juncture.' He countered with a sneer.

'Calm down everyone.' It was Bill Weasley. 'Mr. Malfoy, I would be happy to carry your written consent to your solicitor if you give me the directions.'

Draco pretended to consider it for a moment before he unhooked a bag from around his waist.

'There is no time to head to Gringotts.' He said and handed Bill the bag.

'Tell her to use this bag to draw the three million galleons directly from my vault.' He spied a parchment and quill and wrote down an address which was not really necessary since Bill knew where Marina was stationed. 'Hurry please before the time is up.' Bill nodded and left immediately.

Draco sighed and cast a tempus charm noting that he had wasted ten minutes arguing.

'What in the world are you buying that could cost three million galleons Malfoy?' Harry asked, shocked that anyone could shell out such an amount of money without blinking an eye. Even with his vast fortune, he could not fathom that he would so willingly use that much at a go. '…and where did you get the money?'

'Correct me if I am wrong Potter, but I don't recall a clause in our marriage contract that allows you to know anything about me, least of all my financial situation.' Draco sneered. 'You should just be happy that I don't need any of your money to live, and leave it at that.'

Harry didn't know what to say because Malfoy was right, he had no rights whatsoever. He had given them up willingly, and there was no take back clause in their contract.

'Maybe the ferret didn't cut ties with his death eater family.' Ron said, and the others looked at Draco accusingly, but he neither confirmed nor denied the assumption. What they thought about him was no concern of his. Severus decided that enough was enough, he had been unable to talk to his godson all term, but this was getting ridiculous.

'A word Mr. Malfoy.' Snape said and indicated for Draco to follow him through the door. Draco decided to follow; it was better than waiting in the room until Bill returned. Severus led his godson to the library and spelled the door shut, adding muffliato among other spells before he began to speak.

'You used to talk to me.' Snape said, and Draco sneered looking at him with cold eyes that showed nothing but indifference. Sighing, the younger Slytherin decided that maybe it was time to put everything to rest between them, it's not like he could keep avoiding the man forever.

'I used to talk to you because I used to trust you and held a little faith in you.' Draco said, and Snape was surprised because this was the longest Draco had spoken to him all term. 'Do you by any chance remember this conversation?' Draco began to talk, and even Severus' mask could not hide his horror that someone had overheard him speak that one time.

 _'_ _He is tainted, Severus.' The boy who lived said._

 _'…_ _.but he is your mate, Harry.' The potions master said to the other boy with a regretful voice. 'The dark lord grows more powerful with each day, and you are the only chance we have of defeating him. I know we are asking a lot from you but to defeat him, you must accept that Draco is your mate and form the bond. Only then can you fully come into your elemental powers.'_

 _'_ _He will be my only spouse; there will be no breaking the bond. How can I live with him knowing what he is, knowing that the Dark Lord has touched him in that manner, I can't even look at him.'_

 _'_ _I am sorry Harry.'_

'Surprised that I heard that Godfather?' Draco asked with a smirk.

'Draco, I…'

'I am thankful that I did because, until that moment, I still had illusions about you.' There was a bitter smile on his godson's face. 'You have not given me any reasons to trust you over the years, but I had faith in you. When I heard you talk like that, I came to terms; I was not wrong about you, you are indeed a good person. You are a good person but you would never be good to me because you do not know the first thing about me and you never cared to. I realised that I was the only one who could save myself and since you already planned to use me for the sake of this world, I decided that being bound to Potter was a small price to pay. I don't blame you for anything, but I simply have no reason to continue our relationship any further. Take care of yourself Severus.' Draco used a finite to cancel the spells before leaving a stunned Snape to mull everything that had been said. He found Bill had already returned and upon hearing that Marina was completing the deal, he headed to bed. The talk with Snape had left him drained and saddened, and even though he had resolved all those months ago to bury his emotions, he felt a profound loss at the finality with which he had said his words.

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Severus Snape did not leave the library for many hours trying to make sense of everything that Draco had said. He did not understand anything but he so desperately wanted to understand. He felt that he needed to understand, and when he left the Black library, he had a plan.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** I apologise for missing an upload date last week; had a rough week and then some. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter fourteen next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	14. Regret

**Chapter Fourteen-Regret**

'Welcome my friend.' Lucius Malfoy said as Severus stepped out of the floo in his study.

'Lucius.' Snape accepted the greeting.

'Did you find out where the old fool has hidden my traitorous son?'

'I am afraid so, and it's not good news.' Snape said. He waited for Lucius to look at him in question and then muttered 'Legillimens,' catching Lucius by surprise and as he had expected, Lucius had not put up the new spell against legilemency. Doubtless, the man was confident about his occlumency abilities, but even his shields couldn't hold against Snape's relentless prodding. The potion's master dug through the mind of his 'friend' until he came to the moment Draco was born, he remembered that because he had been the one to assist Narcissa in the birth.

Nothing untoward happened for the first three months, and then he watched with horrifying slowness as Lucius cast the cruciatus curse on a three months old Draco who had been crying. He saw it happen again when Draco would not stop crying because of a teething fever, and then it became frequent after that. Severus saw Draco learn never to cry. Saw the child who always looked at him with hope in his eyes every time he visited the manor house. He saw Draco grow up suppressed by the filial bond, and he saw what happened the previous summer, and he vomited horribly on the antique rug that covered the study.

Tears were streaming down his face by the time he removed himself from Lucius' memory, and when he finally looked up, he saw that Lucius was unconscious from having his mind invaded for such a length of time. Severus vanished his sick and obliviated Lucius to forget that this incident had happened before placing him back in his chair and enervating him.

'I will be going now old friend, but I should be back soon.' Severus said, and Lucius looked confused for a few minutes before he waved his friend off, completely oblivious to what had happened.

Instead of heading back to his house in Spinners End, he went back to Grimmauld place and took a seat in the library. He did not notice when the tears began again as a silent anguish he could not banish engrossed him. He had not known anything, and yet he had acted like he did and now he could feel it in his bones that it was too late. Until that moment, he had not understood the responsibility that came with loving someone. He had never doubted that he loved his godson and that his godson loved him, but he had not taken care of that love. He had let his responsibility to the world distract him from the responsibility he had to Draco. Draco had had no one, and yet he had abandoned him for a world that had countless saviours.

'Severus….,' someone was shaking him, and he finally returned to himself to see Bill Weasley staring at him with a concerned look in his eyes. 'Are you okay?'

'Yes, I am fine.' Severus said and hurriedly wiped the wetness from his eyes. Bill looked at the man wondering what could drive Severus to tears, but he did not ask. Instead, he took the seat opposite the man. They did not speak for a very long time until the curtain-haired man broke the silence.

'What do you do when you realise that you have failed to protect the most important thing in the world because you were too arrogant? What do you do when you are confronted with your failure, and there is no defense for your blindness? What do you do when you realise too late that you cared when you have already lost what you cared for?' He asked. Severus had never been one to talk about his problems but never in his life had he been confronted with such problems.

'What is it you are referring to Severus?' Bill asked.

'I thought Draco was going through a phase, and he would eventually come around, but I now know that he was completely serious, I have lost him, and there is no one to blame but myself.'

'How do you know this?' Bill inquired. He was curious about his employer, but he had endeavoured never to cross lines while their friendship was so new.

'Draco said some things to me this evening, and I wanted to understand, so I went to Malfoy Manor and used legilimency on Lucius.' Snape said with a hollow voice. Normally he would have never answered such a private inquiry, but he was so overwhelmed he couldn't help but want someone to help him with the situation. 'I don't think there is anything I can say to him that could make up for what has happened and even if there was, I don't think I deserve that forgiveness.' The potions master laughed bitterly. 'When it was clear that Harry's mate was Draco, I apologized to Harry that he had to marry my godson, Draco overheard us back then.' Bill gasped. 'Now I know that none of us are good enough for him, and yet he is already stuck with us. Poor boy.' Severus stood up; he needed to go home and think about everything he had found out with a calm mind.

Harry saw Severus stand up and quickly ran back to his room. He had been unable to sleep, and he had decided to go to the kitchen for a cup of milk when he noticed that there was light in the library. He had thought that some order members had come at night for some reason, only to be shocked when he heard what Severus was saying to Bill and decided to hide and listen.

His brain was working on overdrive and yet he couldn't come up with an explanation for why Severus had said what he had. Malfoy was a spoiled git, that much was true, but something big must have happened for the potions' master to be affected as he was. Although Harry was dying to know, he didn't think Snape was going to tell him, and he wasn't a master in legilimency nor did he have access to Lucius Malfoy's brain like Snape did. Deciding to think about it later, he put the entire incident at the back of his mind and went back to bed, feeling sleepy. Harry was sure everything would come to light eventually, and as Malfoy had said, he had no obligation or right to know anything about him. That thought did not sit well with him, but he ignored the little voice that nagged him to take this seriously and went back to sleep, happily ignorant of the demons that Snape had uncovered and which prevented the dour man from finding sleep that night.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Hello everyone. Today's chapter was pretty short but I did not want to put a lot into it. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter fifteen next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	15. Chance

**Chapter Fifteen- Chance**

When Draco went down for breakfast the next morning, he found that Bill had been right because only the Weasley's, Severus, Lupin, Potter, Granger, and Black were present for breakfast. He had woken early as usual and began working on some potions for the store after putting up wards and spells that he hoped would keep Moody's eye away and the smell of potions from escaping his room. Judging from the fact that no one was looking at him more weirdly than usual, he guessed that he had succeeded.

'All stand, his royal highness finally graces us with his presence.' Ginny Weasley said and made a dramatic bow as Draco entered the room, but that did not faze the blonde.

'I was unaware that there is a set time for breakfast as no one saw fit to inform me.'

Harry flushed guiltily before speaking up. 'You are always up by 6, and I thought you would come down.' He explained.

'What you mean to say is that you forgot to tell me?' He had one eyebrow raised.

'How was I to know that you would choose today of all days to oversleep.'

'I didn't oversleep; I was playing chess.' Draco improvised.

'….by yourself?' Severus asked incredulously. After a long night of thought, he had decided that he would not compound a mistake with another. Draco might want him to leave him alone but he couldn't, he would be there even if he was not allowed to be. One day Draco would need him again, and he was determined not fail him then.

'He always plays alone.' Harry said flippantly. 'He says that no one is good enough to beat him.'

'…is that bitterness I hear from you, Potter?' Draco asked with a smirk on his face. 'Do you believe there is anyone good enough to beat me after what happened when we played?'

'I am not the best at chess, and I was especially distracted that day.' Harry defended.

'Then you will not object to a rematch?'

'We should have a tournament Mr 'I can beat anyone.'' Harry suggested with a smirk on his face. 'There are several excellent chess players in this house, and there is nothing better to do anyway.'

'I for one know that I would not lose to the ferret.' Ron said smugly.

'It seems I have neglected you for too long if you have forgotten the thorough beatings I gave you as a child.' Severus commented. 'I also believe that Lupin is more than a decent player.'

'A tournament it is then.' Draco agreed.

'What are the stakes?' Sirius Black asked. 'It's no fun to play for nothing.'

'How about the two Quidditch tickets for the Puddlemere vs. Canons game I got through my job; the game is tonight.' Arthur Weasley suggested, and the excitement level in the room heightened. Everyone had been fighting for those tickets since they found out Arthur had them the previous night.

'Those would be of no use to me since I am not allowed to leave this place.' Malfoy argued.

'Don't be so sure you will win them Malfoy.' Ron retorted scathingly. The Chudley Canons were Ron's favourite team, and he would be damned if he lost a chance to watch them play to the ferret.

Draco also wanted the tickets. It's not like he absolutely had to watch either team play but he liked Quidditch, and this was a chance to get out of the stifling house. It had been less than a day since he came to Grimmauld and he was already sick of the place, but that had to do with the company mostly.

'If you win the tickets Draco, we will find a way for you to go.' Snape said shocking everyone including Draco.

'Alright, let the games begin.'

'I suggest a name draw to decide the matches.' Remus said, and everyone quickly agreed. They were about to head to the library, but Molly would not hear of it, and the lot of them sat back down to have their breakfast.

Breakfast was hurried, and in fifteen minutes, everyone was seated in a circle in the library.

'Let's use only one board so that everyone can watch all the matches.' There was a quick agreement, and the first draw was Hermione vs. Ron, a game that ended quickly because Hermione was even worse in the game than Harry.

The second game was between Sirius and Remus, and Remus took it without much trouble. The third match was won by Severus who trampled all over Ginny while the twins who had decided not to play commentated the whole time. Bill beat Charlie in the fourth round.

'We get the rematch you wanted Potter.' Draco said smugly as they set up the board. 'Do you want me to give you a handicap?'

'Like I would need it.' Harry sneered, but he greatly regretted that decision when he lost horribly only seven minutes later.

Bill lost to Ron, Remus lost to Severus and then, to everyone's surprise, Ron lost to Severus. The finals were between Draco and Severus.

'Just like old times.' Severus said as he set up the board.

'You wish.' Draco answered with a laugh.

There was nothing special about the opening moves but a few moves later, Severus realised that he could not read or predict what his godson would do. Draco did not spend much time thinking, and all his moves seemed random, but it did not take Severus long to realise that he was irrevocably trapped.

'Checkmate in seven moves.' Draco said sweetly, and Severus glared at him.

'I concede.' The older man said. 'When did you get so good? '

'I was always that good; I just didn't know how to play other people back then.' Draco explained.

'It's cheating Malfoy.' Harry said in exasperation. 'Your playing is weird. It's impossible to know what you are doing until one finds themselves trapped.'

Draco laughed. 'Do you know, there are over three hundred and eighteen billion ways of playing the first four moves of chess and over one hundred octillion ways of playing the next ten moves. I have just learnt more strategies than most but anyone who calls themselves a chess master is deluded.' He pointedly looked at Ron at this point. ' It's not humanly possible to completely master the game.'

'Octi-what?' Harry asked in confusion. He had gotten lost somewhere along the explanation.

'Harry, he means that chess has infinite possible moves.' Hermione explained even though she had a look on her face that revealed she had learnt something new and she didn't like the source. Undoubtedly, she would be found hours later buried in a book finally showing some interest in chess.

'Oh..., but somehow you manage to choose the winning path every time.' Harry muttered with a frown on his face.

'It's why I always play by myself Potter; other people are too easy to predict while I can always surprise myself.' Draco answered smugly.

'The tickets as promised.' Arthur Weasley said handing the tickets to the blonde.

'Thank you.' Draco took them and began to head out of the door before he suddenly turned around to look at the eldest Weasley son. 'Bill, are you free to go with me? I am yet to thank you for last night.'

'Sure.' Bill smiled widely, and Draco handed him the tickets.

'I will see you tonight then.' It was barely noon, but Draco had a lot of things to do before going to the game. He wanted to package some of the potions he had left cooling, but he also needed to start thinking about the next product he wanted to launch in February.

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It was hours later when Harry saw Draco coming out of his room, and something in him snapped. One minute he was standing at the top of the stairs and in the next, he found himself pushing the blonde back into his room. He had been about to head downstairs for dinner when Draco's door opened, and the Slytherin came out dressed in black slacks that outlined every lean muscle on his body and a fitted grey shirt that was a perfect match for his eyes. His hair was tied back with a black leather thong and in the crook of his arm hang a black outdoors robe that Malfoy planned to wear when he left the house.

One moment Harry thought that the guy looked delicious and in the next, he thought that everyone would think the same and suddenly he couldn't stand that thought. When he pushed Malfoy back into his room, he had intended to ask him to change and wear some ugly robes on top no matter how unreasonable that was; but that thought flew out of his head the moment the door was closed behind them, and Draco was trapped between him and the door, eyes impossibly wide and his breath coming in sharp gasps that caressed Harry's cheeks. This was the closest they had been since that night in October, and Harry's mind blanked as he leaned down and took the pink lips which were slightly parted in a kiss.

Malfoy gasped in surprise, and Harry thrust his tongue into the blonde's mouth, and Draco also seemed to lose his reason because he twined his hands around Harry's neck and deepened the kiss. The kiss was intoxicating, and Harry felt like a man who had just taken his first sip of water after days of thirst. He placed his arms around Malfoy's waist and pulled him closer causing the blonde to whimper and Harry to groan. He was about to snake his hands under the boy's shirt when there was a knock on the door and whoever it was wouldn't leave. Mechanically, they separated; both looking shocked that something like that had happened.

Harry was the first to recover, and without thinking, he opened the door, forgetting that he was not in his own room. The knocker was Remus who had come to inform Draco that Bill was waiting downstairs and the wolf looked as shocked as Harry felt to find Harry in Malfoy's room. He could pick Malfoy's scent on Harry, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously as the Slytherin emerged from behind the door. Apart from the slightly swollen lips, he looked like he always had, but Remus was not fooled. With a nod, Malfoy left as quickly as his legs would take him without allowing himself to run.

'Harry, what the hell are you doing?' Remus asked looking at his cub as if he had lost his mind and Harry was not sure that he hadn't.

'I have no idea, Remus.' The boy said and looked at his other godfather as if expecting to find an answer there.

'He was there looking like that, and I snapped.' He explained, unable to make sense of the nonsense he was spouting. Remus didn't know what to say to that, but he watched in pity as his cub went downstairs thinking that tough times were sure to come.

Malfoy and Bill had already left by the time Harry entered the kitchen, and he was part relieved and part disappointed.

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Draco was quiet as he walked with Bill to the apparition point.

'Are you regretting that you asked me instead of someone else to go with you?' Bill asked with a smile.

'Not at all.' Draco answered.

'Not even Harry?' Bill couldn't see Draco's eyes narrow in the dark, but they did.

'Not even Potter, besides, I wanted this chance to talk with you.' Bill did not press the issue. Draco's lips looked thoroughly kissed when the boy came downstairs and other than Harry and Draco, Remus was the only person not in the kitchen and Bill somewhat doubted that Draco had been kissing Remus and Severus must have come to the same conclusion because he had seen the other man's scowl darken by a few degrees when he saw his godson. Luckily, they had been the only ones looking otherwise there would have been trouble.

They reached the apparition point, and Bill held out his hand which Draco took and they apparated away. They reappeared in front of a booth and Bill proceeded to give their tickets; Draco was glad they had gotten VIP tickets and did not have to queue to enter the stadium. They went to their box which was at the very top and sat down, it was still thirty minutes before the game began, and they had the box to themselves.

'Are you managing to work at Grimmauld place?' Bill asked.

'Yes but I am not sure whether Moody's eye will be able to see through my protection or not. I suppose I won't know until he comes by.' Draco said, and Bill nodded in agreement. 'Anyway, I was thinking of coming up with a Valentine's Day product for the store which we can begin marketing at the beginning of February. Right after that, I want to launch the lycanthropy cure. I have already asked Marina to speak to Arwin about it after New Year's. What do you think?'

'I think it is an excellent idea.'

'I am worried though.'

'About what?' Bill asked frowning a bit.

'Generally, werewolves are shunned by society, and most have no money. I am conflicted about the pricing of the product. I was playing around with the idea of involving the various ministries and having them foot some of the cost of the cure. It's in their best interest for lycanthropy to be cured, but I don't know if they would be willing to do this. Can you do some research and let me know how we should price it, and if the ministries' can be a partner in this?'

'We already have contact with various ministries all over the world, and I will begin setting up meetings once the holidays are over.' Bill said.

'Thank you, Bill.' Draco smiled. 'Now, do you think Remus Lupin would agree to be our ambassador for this? He is a well-known, and well-respected werewolf; all he would need to do is take the cure and have healers at St. Mungos verify that the treatment works.'

'I will speak to him.'

The game started after that, and all talk about business was forgotten in favour of Quidditch. It was an exciting match, but it didn't take long because Puddlemere's seeker caught the snitch in forty-five minutes and they won 200-0.

'Shall we go to dinner?' Draco asked once they were out of the stadium after the game. He was not ready to go back to Grimmauld place especially after what had happened with Potter, and he did enjoy Bill's company.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Hello everyone. It's been too long but it's high season at my job so bear with me until everything calms down. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter sixteen next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	16. Christmas

**Chapter Sixteen-Christmas**

Draco hated Christmas. He hated the cheer. He didn't think the cheer was false for other people, but he had never really had anything to be cheerful about during that particular holiday. It was simply not his thing, but that did not mean he was spared from it.

Someone knocked on his door just as he was about to start working and he opened it to find Potter in his pyjamas. Apart from the awkward greetings when they were forced to be together during meals, they had kept away from each other since that incident two days ago, but apparently; that was not reason enough to snatch away Potter's Christmas cheer.

'Let's go.' The boy said dragging Draco down the stairs and the blonde was only thankful that he had already gotten ready for the day because he was not very keen on people seeing him in a state of undress. They entered the living room to find that everyone had already gathered under a massive Christmas tree that had not been there the night before.

'Why are you so disgustingly happy?' Draco asked as he removed his arm from Harry's hand.

'It's Christmas.' The Raven said as if that was supposed to explain everything.

'Yes I know but why are you so disgustingly happy?'

'…..because it's Christmas.' Harry said again.

'You are beginning to sound like a broken record Potter.'

'Just sit down, we are going to open presents.' Draco rolled his eyes and did as he was told. 'You have quite a pile.'

'I thought no owls could locate me here?' He asked. Off course he knew Pansy and Blaise would attempt to send him gifts, but he hadn't thought they would succeed.

Potter did not elaborate on the issue and seeing no way out, Draco took his seat. The group took turns opening their gifts, and when his turn came, he noticed right way that he had not received the lumpy package that contained a Weasley sweater that everyone had gotten, but that did not bother him. In fact, he was somewhat relieved because he had only prepared a present for Bill.

Pansy and Blaise gave him a multitude of presents, and he smiled for every-one he opened. He got a beautiful ivory chess set from Snape and for the first time in a long time, he spared a smile for the man. Bill gave him a journal that would never lack pages, and he couldn't wait to start using it to write down ideas. He received a box of chocolate from Biddy even though he had asked her to save her money and he was happy he had thought to send her a gift. After hours of thought, Draco had given her a photo album filled with pictures of himself-call it narcissistic but he knew she would love it.

The next box contained a whole assortment of sweets and a simple card from Frank and Alice Longbottom. Draco had not expected it but the simple 'thank you' written on the card made him smile from ear to ear, and he could finally say that he understood why people were so irrationally happy on Christmas. He had followed the progress of the Longbottom couple, but he had not thought that they would remember him despite his many visits over the years.

Marina also got him chocolates, and he was amused to see that she had bought him the exact brand he had gotten her.

No one noticed the sad look in his eyes when he arrived at the last box without having opened a single present from his parents, and even though he hadn't expected it, he couldn't help but feel the loss. Slowly, he unwrapped the last box and stared at the object within in shocked surprise, and a delighted smile spread across his face causing Harry to stare in awe. He never got used to the sight of Draco smiling, and he had seen him smile a fair amount of times over the past couple of months.

'You?' He asked looking at Potter.

'Yes.'

'How?'

'I saw them in one of the volumes and sent an order via owl service.' Harry said with a small smile tugging at his lips. 'I thought you would like them.'

Draco looked at the figurines of Yagami Light and L that were visible through the transparent box for a moment before he spoke, 'You were right, they are perfect.' He then turned the smile towards Harry, and the Gryffindor had to force himself to form words when all he wanted was to sit there and stare.

'Aren't you going to open it?' Harry asked when he saw Draco staring and not making a move to remove the figurines from the box. Impatient, he tried to take the box from Draco, but the blonde slapped his hand away with a menacing look on his face.

'What are you talking about Potter?' Draco inquired in disbelief. 'They are not meant to be opened.'

Harry looked confused. '...but how are you to enjoy them in a box?' He asked.

'I am happy enough to just look at them.'

'Just open them.' Harry said trying to grab the box again.

'I don't think I will be able to forgive you if you dare to remove them from the box.' Draco said imperiously.

'…..but I am the one who gave them to you?'

'….and now I am telling you that they are not meant to be opened.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'This is what I get for being thoughtful enough to get you a gift.'

'Thank you for the awesome present Potter, but that does not mean that I will let you get your dirty hands on them.' Draco said. 'I will take them to my room.' He was gone before Harry could retort.

'Why did you even bother getting him something if he was going to treat you like that?' Ginny asked, and Harry laughed.

'I should have expected it really.' Harry answered but there was no sign of ire in his tone. 'The way he treats those books, you would think they are his babies, and I can't count the number of times I have been threatened with painful death if I dared to leave a spot of dirt on them.' Harry laughed again in good humour, and Severus narrowed his eyes.

'I will take these up to his room.' Severus offered and gathered Draco's pile of gifts. He could have banished them straight to the room but he wanted a moment to speak with Draco before the day became hectic.

He was already walking up the stairs when he noticed the card on top, and before he could stop himself, the words in the very centre of the card registered in his brain.

 _Draco Malfoy,_

 _Thank you for what you have done for us._

 _Good tidings on Yule._

 _Frank and Alice Longbottom._

At first, he didn't understand it but with every step he took, snippets of conversation and actions began to come back to him.

 _…_ _..the boil-curing potion… which had been prepared using a strange method and yet had worked better and faster than the original._

 _All of Draco's mail that the school had been monitoring for months and never got more than useless nonsense which Severus now thought must have been spelled with that letter charm._

 _His Godson's insistence that he needed no help from anyone and then the cruciatus cure shortly after._

 _Three million galleons when Snape was sure that Draco had no access to the Malfoy fortune._

 _A way of playing chess that was genius if one was honest._

 _DRAGON WORLD._

 _Dragon-Draco. Draco's world._

 _Someone who would work with neither the order nor the dark lord._

 _Someone the Longbottoms thanked. But how had they known when the rest of the wizarding world don't?_

 _Lucius taking Draco to St. Mungos when he was five._

 _Bill Weasley offering to take Draco's pouch to his solicitor._

 _Draco asking Bill to go to a Quidditch game with him._

 _…_ _...You don't know the first thing about me, and you never cared to know._

 _DRAGON WORLD._

 _Dragon-Draco. Draco's world._

By the time Severus passed the threshold of Draco's borrowed bedroom, he was convinced of the truth and when he handed Draco the pile of gifts with the card still facing up, he made no effort to hide his knowledge and Draco only sighed when he saw this.

'Who else?' He asked.

'No one.'

'I see.'

'I know everything.' Snape said bluntly. 'I used legillimency on Lucius.'

Draco didn't seem surprised, he only nodded his head and said, 'I see.'

'I am glad that you are able to take care of yourself now.'

Draco looked at his godfather, really looked for the first time in a while and saw the sincerity there. Severus had not said he was sorry or even promised anything and Draco truly appreciated that because he was not ready to believe anything that the potions' master said. He had been disappointed far too much and for far too long to take that risk so easily.

'Thank you for helping out with the potions.' It was the only thing Draco could say.

'I still have not been able to figure out why most of the process is as it is.'

Draco smiled and went to his trunk where he retrieved a book.

'I will loan this to you; it should be of some use.' He said and handed him an old book he had found in the manor library many years back. 'Learn quickly; I will be in need of your assistance with another potion soon if you are willing.'

Severus Snape nodded as he took the book, a painful lump in his throat preventing any sound from coming out of him. This was a start. A chance that he had not even dared hope for and it was the best Christmas gift he had ever been given.

'Let's go back.' They went back down and found that everyone had moved to the kitchen for breakfast. Draco took the empty seat beside Potter.

'Potter, since you gave me such a good gift and I didn't get you anything, I will allow you to ask one thing of me.' Draco stated.

'No worries, just let me keep borrowing from your library.' Harry answered.

'I am already letting you use it, and I won't stop unless you start mishandling my books.'

'Okay. Then, tell me what you bought for three million galleons.' There was a sudden silence in the room, and Draco instantly regretted making that offer to Potter. Sighing in resignation, he leaned towards Harry to whisper.

'My own home.' He said, and Harry shivered a bit when he felt the warm breath on his ear.

'You are an extravagant git Malfoy; only you would live like that.' Harry said carelessly but deep within; he panicked. Malfoy was seriously planning a life without him, and Harry was now just beginning to think that that may not be something he particularly liked. He did not let the others see those thoughts though.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

The rest of the holidays went by pretty fast especially after Draco discovered that Moody's eye couldn't see past his wards. Bill had given him the good news after he had heard Moody complain to Dumbledore and although Draco had expected an interrogation as to what he spent hours doing in his room, none came. He made potions, looked over the notes that were to be sent to Arwin about the lycanthropy potion, and made headway with the Valentines' product he had planned.

Soon enough, the holidays were over and they were all heading back to Hogwarts but none of them could have foreseen the events that would take place in the next few months before the summer holidays.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Hello, everyone. First, is it just me or don't you hate opening your anime, games, and manga goodies? I always leave mine in the box and lock them away in a dustproof glass cabinet. Well, that's me :) Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter seventeen next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	17. Despair

**Chapter Seventeen-Despair**

Soon after they returned to Hogwarts, Draco and Harry were summoned to the headmaster's office and informed that their things had been moved back to their houses. Neither of them would have admitted to it even under painful torture, but the idea of moving back to their previous rooms was not as appealing as it had once been. Since no one had asked whether they would rather stay in the East tower, they kept their reservations to themselves. It couldn't be all bad, right? Harry wanted the chance to reconnect with his friends and housemates, and Draco would not mind the freedom to work without having to worry about Harry noticing his actions. He could even brew in his prefect's room if he wanted-not that he wanted to mind you.

For three days, the entire school held their breath whenever the two were in the vicinity of each other, but they were disappointed at every turn when Draco and Harry did not go back to their pre-marriage behaviour. There was no name calling, fighting in the corridors or even secret duels in the middle of the night. They only spared each other a small smile and a brief nod every time they met much to the surprise and disbelief of many. However, the peace was short-lived, and on the fourth day, Draco woke up feeling like he had been run over by a herd of galloping centaurs. Figuring he was suffering from exhaustion, he went back to sleep but he should have taken his condition as the first clue that everything was not fine because he had never been one to sleep more than necessary even when he was sick.

The next time he woke up was two p.m. in the hospital wing where Pansy and Blaise had taken him after trying and failing to wake him up. His head still throbbed but it was nothing compared to when he had first woken up and thankfully, the rest of his body did not hurt. He stood up, ready to discharge himself but he was stopped by a pained groan when he tried to take a step away from the bed. He had felt his headache intensify for a moment there, but he didn't think he had been the one to make that noise so he turned to find Potter in the bed next to his.

What the hell was Potter doing there? He wondered as he stared at his sleeping husband. He looked at him for a while longer before deciding that Potter no longer had anything to do with him but even he screamt in pain when he attempted to take another step away from the bed. He had felt a lancing pain pierce through his skull and invade every cell of his body; a pain much worse than the cruciatus and he began to have this feeling of dread when he saw Potter sit up on his bed and turn accusing eyes on him.

'Malfoy, what are you doing here?' Harry asked. For all that they had stopped their antagonism towards each other, it was still too hard to address each other by their first names.

'I am not quite sure; I just woke up myself.' Draco answered, and before he could say more, Madam Pomfrey came hurrying towards them, and as expected, she went straight to Potter.

'Get back on the bed Mr. Malfoy.' She said dismissively as she conjured a Patronus which she sent to the headmaster who had asked to be notified the moment the boys woke up.

The tall, thin man appeared five minutes later, closely followed by Snape, Black, and Lupin who must have been called to the school following Potter's illness.

'How are you feeling Harry?' The headmaster asked.

'Fine except that I have a dull headache.' The Gryffindor said.

'Draco?' Snape asked.

'Same. Did we contract some disease?' He inquired of the potions master.

'I wish it were that simple.' The headmaster said, and Draco felt a chill run down his spine. 'I am afraid that your bond is reacting to your separation.'

'What are you talking about Professor Dumbledore?' Harry asked in a panic. Sure Harry had missed Malfoy more than he was willing to admit but he was just getting back his life, he was not keen on anything else interfering with it. 'Wasn't the bond supposed to settle after three months? After all, it is a simple elemental bond.'

'Yes.' Dumbledore frowned. 'I honestly cannot say what went wrong.' That was not what either of the boys wanted to hear.

'What have you done to my godson?' Sirius Balck asked, moving in a threatening way towards Malfoy. 'I knew this was a bad idea from the very beginning and no one listened to me. We should have found another way instead of binding my godson to a death eater's spawn.' He continued angrily.

'Shut your gob, Black.' Snape said which surprised everyone. It did not escape their notice that something had caused a change in Snape's attitude towards his godson and Dumbledore made a note to talk to the man later; he did not like it when things were kept from him. 'No matter how you look at it, neither of them wants this bond.'

'What do we do now?' Draco asked after a long awkward silence.

'You will need to go back to the East tower until we can figure this out.' Snape said. 'It seems that you can't be further than a foot from each other, so we will need to work around your lessons, meals and other activities.'

Draco felt as if he was being submerged in icy water with every word that was said. How about his work? How was he supposed to work if Potter could not be more than a foot from him? The bathroom? Was his life over as soon as it began?

Harry was wondering much the same thing using different words, and as if afraid of what would come out of their mouths if they spoke, they headed to their rooms in the east tower without saying a word when the headmaster dismissed them from the office. Everything was as they had left it and their belongings had been returned as they had been. They locked the door behind them and for a moment stood there lost for words, so when Potter grabbed him and dragged him to the bedroom, Draco did not resist.

He could not say anything, but he felt like he needed to do something so when Potter pushed him onto the bed and began to kiss him, he kissed back like his life depended on it. He wanted to feel something other than despair and Potter's kisses lit a fire in his blood. The fire heated the blood in his veins and spread to every part of his body leaving him positively feverish when their clothes were finally off, and they lay skin on skin. Their lovemaking was tender, completely devoid of anger as their misery had moved way past anger. It was as if they were both crying without shedding a tear and even the orgasm was prolonged; drawing out emotions from their bodies that left them shaking and scared.

When it was over, Harry held Draco like he was someone beloved and he allowed himself to be held. He needed it, they both needed it because they still could not deal with whatever had changed the nature of their bond. It was only afternoon but they both fell into an exhausted sleep, and that's when Draco's hell finally broke through its bounds. It was the first of many times that he woke up screaming and wet with sweat, and it was the first of many times that Harry held him without knowing what the hell haunted the blonde's dreams. Draco would not talk about it, and Harry could only hold him and hope the spell would pass soon enough because he couldn't leave the bed to sleep on the couch when being more than a foot apart caused them excruciating pain.

When they woke up again, it was almost ten; dinner was already over so after a quick shared shower, Harry asked Dobby to bring them some food which they took to Draco's side of the room. They sat on the couch and ate together silently; no one spoke until they had finished eating and the platter had disappeared.

'What do we do now?' Harry asked after a while.

'I don't know.' Draco answered. 'I will try moving and see what happens.' He did, but he only managed a step before the pain returned with a vengeance.

'I guess we still have to be together at all times.'

'I guess so.' Draco answered. 'You can't play Quidditch.'

'You can't stay up to all hours of the night playing chess and reading manga.'

'You can't meet privately with your girlfriend or even have sex.'

'You can't do whatever it is you do when you disappear for several hours.' There was a meaningful silence at that and Draco once again wondered how Potter managed to track him.

'You can't do anything without me.'

'You also can't do anything without me.'

'So what do we do?'

'I don't know.'

'There are important things I have to do.'

'So do I.'

'How will you do them?'

'How will you?'

'I don't know.'

'Neither do I.'

'Let's go to bed for now.'

'Let's, and maybe this will all be a horrible nightmare when we wake up.'

Draco didn't answer. They had sex once again, and still, there was no anger, just despair. Nothing had changed when they woke up, so they took a shower together, dressed together, went to the kitchen for breakfast, and then stood lost in the entrance hall because Harry had Herbology and Draco had Arithmancy. Eventually, they gave up and just went to their tower and hoped that someone would come up with a solution for their problem because they sure as hell could not help themselves as they were.


	18. Safe Whichever Side Wins

**Chapter Eighteen-Safe Whichever Side Wins**

After returning to the East tower after breakfast the previous day, Draco had spent some of the day sending letters. He let Marina and Bill know what had happened and then sent another letter to Snape asking him if it was possible for him to help with the other potions until Draco could figure a way out. The man had agreed, and Draco had made notes for the modified potions which he intended to give to Blaise to hand over. The rest of the day had been spent reading manga with Potter, but they had agreed to go to the classes they could on the following day. Now, Draco found himself heading to the Gryffindor table for breakfast since they had decided to take turns sitting at each other's house table.

'Morning Harry, we got your letter yesterday.' Hermione said as they took a seat on the opposite side of the table from Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.

'I bet the ferret did something.' Ron said, but Draco did not react because he was busy watching Pansy and Blaise walk over to the table.

'We will sit with you darling.' Pansy said as she took a seat next to Draco.

'It's enough to have one snake here; we don't need anymore.' Ginny said sulkily, but she was ignored.

'That is not the coffee they serve.' Hermione said in accusation when a strong aroma could be smelt as Malfoy poured himself a cup.

'True, it's not.' Harry agreed.

'I specially buy this coffee and have the elves make it for me.' Draco said to Harry.

'I should have guessed something like that.' Harry intoned. 'What's wrong with regular coffee?'

'I don't like instant coffee.'

'He just thinks he is better than us.' Ginny sneered. Once again she was ignored, Malfoy couldn't take umbrage for every little thing she said if he was going to make this little arrangement with Potter work.

Harry poured himself a cup from Draco's jug and took a sip. 'I see why you like this coffee; it's delicious.'

'It's a brew from Ethiopia. I am partial to Kenyan, Ethiopian, and Moroccan coffee.' Draco said.

'What in the world do you spend your time doing when the rest of us are being normal teenagers?' Harry asked incredulously. In his world, he did not think it was normal for someone their age to have such refined taste.

'I do the things everyone else does.'

'I seriously doubt that Malfoy.' Harry said. 'What do you do in the summer?'

'I travel, read, play, and go out.'

'Speaking of travel, do you think this bond thing will have let up or do we have to drag Potter around with us?' Blaise asked as he smeared jam on his toast.

'Who knows?!' The blonde said with a pout, and Harry thought he looked very cute like that. 'If we can, I was thinking Russia.'

'No way.' Pansy objected immediately. 'I have no idea why you keep suggesting Russia every year; it's freaking cold over there.'

Draco liked the cold while Pansy preferred hot temperatures and every year Draco would suggest Russia and every year she would refuse. It was a long-standing argument between them, and although Draco hoped that he would win the argument one day, he did not begrudge his friends their preference for high temperatures. To be truthful, he was just grateful that he was able to travel with them for a few weeks every summer and he thought that the only reason he was allowed to was that his mother preferred him out of the manor. He could be bitter about it but he wasn't, he would rather spend his entire summer away with his friends and whichever chaperone his father appointed for the trip.

'How about Turkey?' Blaise suggested. 'We haven't been there, and they even have a national drink.' That perked up everyone's interest. Being who they were, their parents had made sure their wands did not have the trace which made stunning their chaperones pretty easy when they needed to do a little underage drinking.

'I don't mind Turkey.' Pansy agreed.

'Turkey it is then.' Draco said with a smile to his friends.

'That is not the type of travel that a normal teenager does.' Harry said from beside Draco. 'At least not every summer.'

'Prepare because you will have to join us if this bond thing hasn't worked out by then.' Pansy said unhappily.

'There is no way I am going anywhere with the lot of you.' Harry refused earning approving looks from around the table.

'It's tradition.' It was strictly not a tradition since they hadn't gone the previous year, but none of the three wanted to ponder as to the reason why that had been so. 'Anyway, it is your turn to pay Draco.'

'Go easy on me.'

Blaise snorted when he heard that. 'I don't remember you going easy on me in Amsterdam.' Blaise said with unholy glee as if already planning to do serious damage to Draco's finances.

'You are a menace on people's money Draco.' Pansy agreed. 'You did quite a number on me in Ireland. I have been itching for revenge.'

Draco groaned. 'I suppose I should be happy we are not going to a fashion capital, or I would need to beg Potter for a monthly stipend when we get back.' The blonde said with resignation.

'It would be quite the amusing sight to see a Malfoy beg.' Harry teased with a mischevious smile.

'The only time it is remotely acceptable for a Malfoy to beg is when he is being fucked senseless.' Someone dropped their folk in shock as Harry stared at Malfoy in disbelief before he burst out in laughter.

'We have to go.' Blaise said as he stood up. 'You are lucky to be missing history of magic with the Ravenclaws.' Pansy cringed, but she was not going to go out of her way to complain about Professor Binns since his class allowed her to recover the hours of sleep lost when she had to help with the business.

'Take this before you go.' Draco looked through his bag and retrieved a journal which he handed to Blaise. 'Give it to 'you know who' and help out whenever you can.' Pansy nodded, and the two left. It was not until Draco turned back to the table that he realized what he had said.

'Not even you Gryffindorks would be so stupid as to think that I would be speaking of Voldemort in such a public manner.' No one said anything; they just continued to watch him like he was some disgusting thing that suddenly appeared in their presence.

'Who knows what you are capable of Malfoy, it could be that you no longer feel the need to hide your affiliations now that everyone knows you are the dark lord's whore.' Ginny said, her voice full of disgust.

'I suggest you start thinking before you speak because I am seriously beginning to get annoyed and you already have enough legal issues with me. What exactly is your problem?' Draco asked the red haired girl. Of course, there was a lot about his relationship with Potter that would legitimise her attitude, but he did not think she knew anything of what had been happening.

Ginny's face turned red. 'My problem is that you exist Malfoy. The very existence of someone like you is unnatural.' She spat, her voice growing loud with passion as she spoke. 'Harry has told us how He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named looks like, snakelike red eyes, grey scaly skin, bald, no nose, and a slit for a mouth, are you so power hungry that you would think it is acceptable to be that things lover?'

By now, her voice had reached the other tables, and everyone was looking at Draco expectantly, but the blonde did not react. It was as if he was not the one being shouted at or being humiliated in front of the entire hall.

Harry tensed. In everything that had happened, he had forgotten all about Voldemort. He had forgotten that the thing had touched Malfoy at some point and he had forgotten that Malfoy had allowed it. He felt nauseated that he had allowed himself to indulge in Draco's body with such abandon and without meaning to, he put more distance between their bodies, but the gesture was not lost on anyone.

'Weaslette, aren't you also Potter's lover because on this side of the war, the boy who lived is the one with the most power?' Draco asked finally losing his patience.

'Malfoy, did you just compare me to Voldemort?' Harry asked in disbelief, and he was not the only one looking at Malfoy as if he had lost his marbles.

'Aren't you the same?' Malfoy insisted. 'The light follows Potter, and the dark follows Voldemort, isn't everything in this wizarding world that black and white? I suppose I should start a grey faction since I am the only person to have had sex with both the dark Lord and the savior of the wizarding world, it wouldn't do to favour one lover over the other.'

Everyone was speechless, and they all looked at him in horror but Draco didn't care. He was tired of the self-righteous attitude that the Gryffindors adopted when dealing with him and he decided he wouldn't take it anymore. He stood up, and when he was sure that every eye in the room was trained on him, he spoke.

'I am the leader of the grey faction, Draco Malfoy, and I am now recruiting.' He shouted. 'If you join, you will get a badge that says, 'Safe whichever side wins.' He then turned to Harry. 'Potter, just in case you missed it, this is the point where I am supposed to stomp out of the hall with dramatic flair. There is no chance you will stomp out with me is there?' Harry stared at the boy and truly believed he had lost his mind.

'No chance at all Malfoy.' Harry said in a somewhat incredulous voice as if he couldn't believe that he knew someone so incredibly unhinged. There was sudden laughter from the Ravenclaw table, and everybody turned to see Luna Lovegood trying to control her mirth.

'I will join your grey faction Draco.' She shouted shocking everyone especially her Gryffindor friends.

'I will make sure you have a faction badge by evening Lovegood.' Draco said with a smile to the strange girl and true to his word, by evening, four people wore silver badges on their left breasts that declared in dark grey words that they would be safe whichever side won. Draco, Pansy, Blaise, and Luna Lovegood were the first official members of the grey faction.

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The next morning, the four of them were captured in all their splendour on the front page of the daily prophet as the self-proclaimed grey faction. Draco had no idea how the Creevy kid had managed to get a picture of them since they had only met for a few minutes when he gave out the badges, but there was no denying the evidence of his words and many in the wizarding world had a lot to say about his new faction. However, mixed in with all the hate mail from both sides that he got on that day, Draco got three letters from people saying that they would like to join the faction and although he had only intended the grey faction as a joke, an idea began to form in his head. Maybe a neutral grey faction was not such a bad idea, and maybe he wasn't the only person who had been caught up in the middle of this war without wanting to choose a side because he would lose if he joined either. With this thought in mind, he wrote back to Ms. Edgecomb, Mr. Balthzar, and Mr. Slater.

Several letters later, he found that Edgecomb was a history scholar, Balthazar was an unspeakable, and Slater was a vampire. He then sent Marina and Bill to speak to them the moment he was confident they could be trusted. Later when the meetings were finished, both Bill and Marina wrote to tell him that they had secured contracts with the three of them and Draco could not have been happier especially since he needed someone within the ministry to authentic his unbreakable ward and the shield. The ward would be the most difficult to sell and the most expensive, and although he had no intention of launching it in many more months, probably a year, there was a lot of groundwork to be covered.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Hello, everyone. I hope everyone had a good two weeks, mine were harrowing, but I managed. Thank you for the patience, and I hope you enjoyed the two chapters I put up.

Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter nineteen next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	19. Interventions

**Chapter Nineteen-Interventions**

Harry had not been sure about restarting the DA when they came back for their sixth year but despite that, all the members still carried the coins wherever they went, and most were surprised when they felt them warm against their bodies. Normally Harry would be the one to call the meeting, but given that he was practically attached to Malfoy, it would not do for him to be present, so Hermione had asked for the summoning coin and called the meeting herself.

When Luna finally arrived, it was to find a roomful of DA members who did not bother to keep the hostility in their eyes hidden when they saw her enter the room of requirement. Hostility was not a sentiment that the dreamy girl was used to being directed at her, but she shrugged it off and made to take an empty chair beside Neville, but Ginny stopped her and instead directed her to a chair at the front facing the other members. She took it without a fuss.

'Are we resuming the DA?' She asked.

'Not right away Luna.' Hermione answered, a pitying look in her eyes. 'We are here to talk to you.'

'Talk to me? About what?' The girl seemed genuinely surprised, and that look cemented Hermione's conviction that Luna had really not known what she was doing when she agreed to join the so-called grey faction.

'The grey faction Luna.' Hermione said. 'We don't think that you truly understand what you have done. Malfoy's faction is misguided.'

'Misguided?'

'She means that it's bloody disloyal of you to join the grey faction.' Ron spat, a vein pulsating visibly on his forehead. 'How can you abandon the light like this?'

'I am not abandoning anything.' Luna said. She did not understand what this was about because as far as she knew, she had a right as an individual to fight or not to. For her, the decision to accompany Harry to the Ministry the previous year was based on the fact that Harry was her friend rather than the fact that she supported the light. The distinction between light and dark had never been simple to her.

'By joining Malfoy's faction, you will be in direct opposition to Harry.' Ginny told her in an impatient voice that implied that Luna should already know this.

'I don't think so.' Luna refuted. 'Harry is my friend, but friendship does not mean that I should espouse every thought and belief he has. Don't get me wrong, I will always support Harry on a personal level but the fight between the light and dark is political, and I have no intention of taking any sides because I don't think that the ideals of the light and dark sides are mutually exclusive. I intend to take a neutral stance in this war.'

'Don't be fooled Luna, Malfoy is an evil git, and I am sure this faction is really for You-Know-Who.' Ginny said knowledgeably and several DA members nodded their heads in agreement.

'Maybe it would have been the way you think if anyone other than Malfoy led the grey faction.' Hermione supported the redhead and Luna began to get angry, an emotion that she rarely felt.

'I am a Ravenclaw, and I did not get in there by mistake; I am smart enough to realise when I am being had.' She said, her dreamy voice a thing of the past. Most of the gathered rolled their eyes to indicate that they did not believe a word she was saying. 'You may not understand this, but I only joined the faction because Draco Malfoy is its leader.' She continued shocking the members of the DA even more. She did not say this, but she knew things about Malfoy that made her trust him. Luna had a gift, a gift that sometimes could be a burden but a gift that was truly a blessing sometimes. She didn't know how but she was able to read people's emotions from their auras and Malfoy had always been surrounded by pain, but something must have happened over the summer because pain was all there was to him and then it had all disappeared days before he married Harry. Luna knew what she knew, but she did not understand why and although she had always wanted to speak to him, she couldn't. Malfoy was proud, strong, and she had known that attempting to speak to him when she probably couldn't help would not be the best for him. Malfoy had a pure soul, a soul battered by life but still very pure. She felt from deep within her that she could trust him, and a person who had known such pain from both the dark and light sides would be able to take care of people. He would not take people for granted, and that was a person she could put her faith in.

'What are you saying Luna?' Neville asked. Neville Longbottom was gentle, kinder than even she was, but his timidity made it hard to break away from the herd. Luna had no doubt that he would eventually see what she saw in Draco, but that could not be expected right away when he had always been on the receiving end of Draco's insults and mockery.

'It means that I am in the grey faction to stay.' She said as she stood up. 'I will be leaving now.'

'Leave your DA galleon behind.' Hermione said, and Luna did not hesitate, she did not think that her life would be easy from now on but when had it ever been easy? As she walked to the Ravenclaw common room, she felt no regret for the decision she had made. For now, she needed to let Draco know that she knew the faction was not a joke and she was ready to do her part. After all, she had seen the excitement and determination in his aura in the days since he had jokingly formed the faction.

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Technically, Draco was the one that Dumbledore summoned to his office, but since they could not be apart, Harry went along. It had been only a few days since the faction business began and things had become tense between them, so much so that they rarely talked despite being joined at the hip and even then, the silence was mostly uncomfortable. At least now they could be a foot and a half apart, but that was not something to be happy about since it did not afford either of them the privacy they so desired. They wanted to be away from each other more than anything. Harry wanted to be with his friends and girlfriend so that he could try to make sense of the mess that his life had become, and Draco wanted to be more involved with his business. The only thing Draco could be glad about was that the nightmares that had started right after Potter and he returned to the East tower had disappeared like so much smoke.

The gargoyles sprang open the moment the couple approached them, and they hastily took the stairs to the headmaster's office. Every time Draco had been summoned there, Lupin, Black, and Snape were always there, but this time, he recognised most of the order of the phoenix who he had met at Grimmauld place over the Christmas break. He raised a questioning brow at no one in particular but otherwise took the chairs Dumbledore waved them towards.

'I believe you know why you have been called here today.' The Headmaster said, his voice full of disapproval. Neither of the boys spoke or even acknowledged the headmaster's words in any way. 'The declaration you made in the hall was quite inappropriate Mr. Malfoy.'

'Was it?' Draco sneered. 'What about the declaration about my unnatural existence that the Weaselette made?' Draco saw several narrowed Weasley eyes stare at him and he felt sorry for Bill. He didn't want him to be caught in the middle of this, and he made a mental note to talk to the man later.

'You must admit that your actions have been quite unnatural.' The headmaster smirked discreetly, and Draco only noticed it because he was observing the man keenly.

'Not more so than your unnatural affair with Grindewald.' Not many people knew that Albus had been in love with the dark wizard before he went on to defeat him and Draco's statement stunned the room into silence. As he watched Dumbledore twitch in a way that suggested that the older man was fighting against himself to stop from hexing his student into the next century, Draco was glad that at least his father had taken the time to share some of the dirt he had on many influential figures in the wizarding world. The Slytherin knew that he had removed the boxing gloves on their interactions, and neither of them would pull their punches from then on but he wasn't worried. He now had a purpose that extended beyond taking care of himself, and as such, he needed to establish that he would no longer allow himself to be bullied by the headmaster or any of the others.

'Show some respect boy.' Moody growled, and he was not as self-controlled as the headmaster because he did attempt to hex Draco but was stopped by Snape who reminded him that Hogwarts did not punish students by hexing them. Draco knew that he was treading on thin ice, but for the first time in a while, he felt like he was in control.

'The headmaster could be a millennia old, but I will not show respect to anyone who does not extend the same courtesy to me.' He said imperiously. 'Give me something to respect, and I will respect but as yet, I don't see anything worthy of my respect. I don't see why I should be persecuted for deciding to start a faction that does not want to fight. I am not crazy enough to risk losing my life for a wizarding world that will persecute me the day after Voldemort falls. The best outcome for me is if you all killed each other in this war and then maybe there will be hope for a better world for the few left standing.'

'It's a pity you feel that way Mr. Malfoy.' Arthur Weasley said, and he seemed genuinely perturbed that one so young could be so disillusioned with the light when all they wanted was to rid the world of the monster that was Voldemort.

'My slogan may be 'safe whichever side wins,' but I am not naïve enough to think that that is how things will go.' Draco argued. 'I am more likely to survive if the dark side wins but it is a given I will not live long enough to see peace return to the wizarding world if the light wins. The moment the light wins this war, I will probably be killed or sent to Azkaban because I will no longer be of use to Potter and you all agree that I am not good enough for him. The saviour of the wizarding world should marry his childhood sweetheart, Ginevra Weasley; and have a horde of brats who look just like them. The poster couple for the coming generation is Potter and Weasley, not Potter and Malfoy.' No one spoke, and some of them even looked guiltily away but most of the others held to their resolve and Draco confirmed that his speculation was right. Only Potter, Tonks, Arthur Weasley, and Bill seemed surprised that everyone thought Draco should be killed when they won the war.

'Then you are smart enough to know that even if you manage to survive when the light side wins, you will be brought in front of the Wizengamot for your crimes as the dark lord's paramour.' Kingsley Shakelbolt said, and Harry was surprised that the gentle-man he knew did not bother to refute Malfoy's statement and instead was confirming it. Harry had always thought that he would live with Ginny after the war and although he could not marry her, they could have a life together. He had always pictured Malfoy living his own life somewhere with some unlucky person, and this new revelation made him uncomfortable in ways he had never known before. To him, being light was synonymous with goodness, but no matter how he looked at it, he could not see any good in killing or imprisoning Malfoy after he has outlived his use. It seemed dangerously similar to something Voldemort would do.

'Yes, I am smart enough to realise that.' Draco smiled. 'I am also smart enough to realise that the only reason that I am not currently dead is that none of you is sure what will happen to Potter upon my death. This is not a soul mate bond; so he won't die, but he could lose all the power he has gained recently, and it is not guaranteed that another mate will appear.' No one refuted his reasoning. 'My grey faction will not lend aid to either the light or dark side. From now, I will start thinking about how to survive when the war is over because I have no intention of being remembered as one of the vanquished by future generations.'

'Good always wins, Mr. Malfoy.' Dumbledore said solemnly. '…...and you have already turned your back on what is good. You will be remembered as a traitor, but you should not allow your fate to touch other people.'

Bill was flabbergasted, this was not something he had signed up for. The adults in the room had planned to use and murder a boy of only sixteen, and no one seemed to be very bothered by this fact. No one had ever bothered to ask Draco his side of the story, and even though Bill hadn't asked either, he had known something was off the moment he had met the Malfoy heir for the first time. Draco was arrogant, there was no denying that, but he had an innocence about him that should have been visible to everyone yet it wasn't. He remembered what Snape had said that night at Grimmauld place and realised that Draco must have really suffered with no one to help him because everyone already had misconceptions about how a Malfoy should be. The boy had no one, and no one was interested in knowing him, so he had stopped trying to make them understand. All he was thinking now was making a world in which he was allowed to exist. A world where he was not rejected by the dark because he was not dark enough for their liking and a world where he was not rejected by the light because he was supposed to be dark and no one saw that he wasn't evil. Bill finally understood the meaning of Dragon World. It was Draco's world, and his role in Draco's world began to take on more meaning as he perceived the fatal similarity between the reasoning of both sides of the war. There was no place on either side for people that did not completely espouse the ideals of the factions and for the first time, he began to see the danger for the wizarding world if either side emerged victorious.

Draco smiled before answering the headmaster. 'That approach would work on a Gryffindor, but I am Slytherin to the bone. I am ambitious and loyal to those I call friends, and I can promise you that we will not be remembered as traitors. By the end of it all, we will have a place in this world that will allow for our existence, and you will attempt to take that away, but your endeavours will be a practice in futility. The world isn't black and white like you all imagine, and it needs all sorts of people, not just the ones who follow headmaster Dumbledore and Harry Potter.'

'There is no point fighting amongst ourselves at this juncture.' Remus Lupin spoke surprising everyone. Remus had maintained his silence and to be truthful; he wanted the Malfoy boy to succeed. The situation was not the same, and even though he fought for the light, he still had a lot of resentment against them. It seemed petty, but he wanted someone to succeed where his fellow werewolves had failed. He wanted someone to challenge the entitlement that the light and dark wizards advocated for at the expense of all other magical beings. 'Malfoy and his faction are not an issue at this point, let's not focus on a small battle and lose the war.' There was reluctant agreement from the others, and Dumbledore dismissed Draco who left with an unhappy Harry in tow.

'Can I speak to you for a moment Draco?' Severus Snape asked when he caught up to Harry and him on their way to the East tower. Draco motioned for him to enter the tower and Harry moved a foot and a half away to give them as much privacy as could be accorded with the situation as it was. Snape cast muffliato around himself and his godson.

'Is something the matter?' Draco asked wondering if something had happened with the potions. He knew that Severus must be tired what with the order, the Dark Lord, school duties, personal projects, and now even Draco's business.

'Nothing like that.' Snape assured. 'I am keeping up just fine with the help of Zabini and Parkinson. I must commend you on what you have done with most of those potions.'

'Thank you.' Draco said with a smile.

'…but you are not making any friends Draco.' The man said. 'You must be very careful. There was talk about confining you until the bond began acting up.' Draco had neglected to think about that option.

'I will be careful.' He answered, and he actually meant it.

'Call on me if you need anything.' Draco nodded as Severus cancelled his spell and left the tower after wishing the two boys a goodnight.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** I am finally getting to update, and I hope that everyone enjoys the chapter.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter twenty next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	20. The Grey Faction

**Chapter Twenty-The Grey Faction**

Three days had passed since the disastrous meeting with the order in Dumbledore's office and since then, Draco had taken the time to think about everything that had been said and he had come to a decision. More than ever, he was convinced that the grey faction he had jokingly started was necessary in the current Wizarding world, but before be made any plans, he had to make sure that everyone involved with him understood what they were getting themselves into. It wasn't fair to allow them to associate with him without knowing all the harsh truths and because he could not speak to them directly, he decided to write a letter.

 _Dear friend,_

 _I hope this letter finds you well._

 _Most of you do not know me very well but for some reason all other, you have decided to put your faith in me and in turn, I want to put some faith in you. I cannot speak to each of you privately without attracting undue attention especially now that I am unable to be away from Potter for further than a few feet so this letter will have to do for now. Before you read more, I must tell you that this parchment is enchanted so that you cannot reveal anything written in here even if you decide to leave the faction after reading the entirety of this letter._

 _Many things have been said about me in the past months, and I do not plan to go into detail about any of them but I want to make at least one thing clear-I am not Voldemort's lover. The details of how the rumour came to be are unimportant, and even I have not bothered to pursue that avenue. What is important is that I do not plan to aid any side of this war. From the life I have lived, none of the sides have been kind to me and when several people expressed their interest in a grey faction, I realised that not everyone in this wizarding world wants to be involved in this war. To be truthful, the grey faction was meant to be a sarcastic joke when I first mentioned it, but I have come to the conclusion that I am in a unique position to aid those who are not keen on fighting for either side in this war. I have a plan but before you read further, I must caution that involving yourself with me will be dangerous. If I am lucky to escape death by the end of this war, I will be taken in front of the Wizengamot, and be charged with crimes against nature. It is probable that my friends and acquaintances will be charged as accomplices and Azkaban will be the least of your worries._

 _I may not seem like it, but I am a person with no world to exist in. I have no place in the dark side and none on the light side; I can't accept such a limbo existence, and I want to do something about it. I have the brains to change things, and as the owner of Dragon World, I am acquiring the resources to do it. I want to change this world that won't accept people like me who think that light and dark are not synonymous with good and evil; I want to change this world that won't accept vampires, werewolves, and other magical creatures because they are different; I want a world where the daily prophet doesn't destroy people's lives with no fear of censure; I want a ministry of magic that does not appoint people like Dolores Umbridge who use blood quills to punish students in Hogwarts, a world where due process is followed when appointing teachers or sentencing people to Azkaban, I want a ministry of magic that is not swayed by the word of one person at the expense of everyone else, and I want everyone to be judged by their own merit rather than who their parents are, and what genetic make-up they have. Doing any of these things is not easy, and it requires a lot of work to gain the power to change things. I am asking you to put your trust in me, and I will do all I can to change things with your aid and the assistance of others. Making Dragon World indispensable to the wizarding world is the first step to gaining the power to make a difference. I am asking you to work for honest pay and to correct me when you think I have steered you wrong. In turn, I will do all I can to make sure Wizarding England is a place where people can live honestly and fairly. Until that time, I can promise refuge and protection to anyone who finds themselves in trouble._

 _Please think everything through and only accept when you are sure you will be able to handle the difficulties that are sure to follow. When you are ready with an answer, call out, 'Biddy,' and a house-elf will come for your reply._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Draco Malfoy._

Draco called Aristotle when he had the nine letters in an envelope and watched as the bird took flight. There was no going back now, he would either sink or swim, but if they decided to trust him, Draco was going to show them a world that they had only dreamt of. There had been many people in the past who had dared to design entire nations, some had failed while others had succeeded, but failure was not an option for Draco, not when he had already dragged so many people into the plot.

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The first person to receive the letter was Luna Lovegood and she smiled when she finished reading the letter, she had no need for more thought because she had already made her decision even before she was asked. She wrote her reply right away and sat back down to think about what she had learnt; she really should have connected Dragon World to Draco Malfoy, some Ravenclaw she was!

Blaise and Pansy also replied the moment they received their letters. The world was really no concern of theirs, but Draco was the most important person to them, they would follow him to hell even if they knew they would not be able to make it back.

Severus received his invitation next. He was not a man of such grand ambitions, but he did not need to think much about it. He had failed Draco all his life, never even had a chance to find out what type of man his godson was; he was determined to stand by him this time around even if the rest of the world stood against them.

Slater received his next. There had been so many politicians before who promised such grand things before for his race, and yet the vampires still remained in the dark, feared and hated by the rest of the wizarding world. Yet, he believed this human child. Deciding to talk to his clan about it, he waited for the sun to go down before he stole in the shadows and went to where his family was hiding out. It would take a while to come to an agreement.

Balthazar waited until he was alone to open his letter and like every other unspeakable, he was drawn by mysteries. If he followed the Malfoy child, he would have a first-row seat when all the spells, potions, and products were released to the world. He called Biddy to deliver his acceptance right away.

Marina was also an easy one. Strictly, she was not English, but Draco had not steered her wrong once. She had more work than she could have imagined and her services were so well appreciated. Most important of all, she trusted him. Because she was a solicitor, she decided to wait a few days before giving her reply in case she changed her mind for whatever reason.

Edgecomb was a history scholar, and while she would have liked to say that politics had nothing to do with her, she was excited to be in the middle of it. What honour to be among the makers of history! She wanted to try it, and she wrote so in her reply. Her reply was the longest of the lot, talking about the Korean Joseon era that lasted five hundred years after being designed by Jung du Jung-there had been a lot of wrong with the Joseon, but the groundwork had been very impressive. Draco smiled when he read her lengthy reply.

Bill was the most conflicted when he received the letter. He wanted to help Draco; he was truly excited about it even, but what of his family? It's not like the grey faction was working against the light or the dark, but they would see this as a betrayal. Arthur Weasley must have seen the indecision in his son and without knowing what was wrong, he had told him to follow his heart and everything else would fall into place. Bill had immediately sent his acceptance with Biddy.

Slater was the last. His clan had argued and thought everything through, but eventually, they had agreed and sent a reply with Biddy. The vampire clan of twelve were the first to request work and refuge, and Draco rose to the occasion immediately. He instructed Marina to open the newly bought Dragon castle to them, and the group began working in the castle right away. They were living in one of the outbuildings, and Draco had asked them to build a few more in anticipation of others who would need a place to stay. They had also started work on the potion gardens. All in all, Draco was happy now that he had allies and he was itching to work on the idea that had occurred to him.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** It's a bit vulgar, but I am one of those people obsessed with historical wars. I have read and reread the wars preceding the unification of China by Ying Zheng, the formation of Joseon and I have to say that I am a big fan of Taejong although he was a murderous bastard, and the Japanese Sengoku era among others. If you hate reading the official chronicles, send me a PM and I will recommend a few fictional works that are based on the wars if you are interested. Anyway, the idea of designing a nation came from the accumulated insight gained from studying the mentioned historical wars.


	21. Valentine's Craze

**Chapter 21-Valentine's Craze**

 **Author's Note: Warning!** This chapter will revisit what happened to Draco over the summer and may have triggers for some of us, I apologise, and I won't be offended if you decide to skip the part. You will know you have gotten to that part when Draco goes to Severus' quarters. However, there is a bit more after that so cautiously take a peek.

 ** _Dragon World_** _ **set to launch Valentine's product**_ _._

 _In a statement sent to the Daily Prophet yesterday, Dragon World is set to launch a Valentine's Day product. According to the statement, the product is a confession without words. 'People often lack the words to say exactly what they feel, or feel too embarrassed to say the words; our new product offers that chance.' For only five galleons, Dragon World will deliver the words to your beloved on Valentine's Day. You only need to think of what you want to say while you write your name and the recipient's name on a parchment which you will send to us, and Dragon World will do the rest'. We at the Daily Prophet managed to acquire a sample of said product, and all we can advise without spoiling the surprise is to have a copy of 'the language of flowers' nearby when you receive a Valentines from Dragon World. Dragon World is the way to go this Valentine._

That article ran on the 1st of February and Bill made sure it was printed in many foreign papers, but even he could not have foreseen the influx of orders. Having never been the romantic type, he hadn't expected the product to sell but the number of orders by the 10th of February had already reached sixty-five thousand, and he had begun to fear that they would not be able to handle it. They had hired every post owl they could find in Diagon Alley and even went to Hogsmeade for more, but the orders kept coming in. In the end, Dragon World had to lease even more owls from an owl breeder and Hogwarts itself. By midnight of the 13th, Bill was ready to collapse from exhaustion, and there were still thousands of owls to send out. It was almost 5 a.m when the last owl left the store, and he was sure he never wanted to see February the 14th again for the rest of his life.

At Hogwarts on the 14th of February, everyone waited expectantly; copies of 'a language of flowers' could be seen lying on the tables ready to be opened at a moment's notice. The owls arrived at eight and the first person to open her package was a Hufflepuff girl who squealed in delight when the long stemmed bud she held in her hand bloomed into a luscious lavender rose. Quickly, she consulted the book next to her and when she saw that the flower meant 'love at first sight,' her cheeks turned an attractive shade of pink and even more so when she looked at the Hufflepuff boy seating diagonally from her. From the moment she had touched the flower, she had known its sender, and the blush on the boy's face only confirmed what she knew.

The scene was repeated hundreds of times around the hall and thousands of times around the world. The buds bloomed to hundreds of species of flowers with different colours, each with its own meaning and Draco watched proudly not expecting anything in return, but he was wrong. His owls arrived late after the others had already left. Nine owls dropped nine packages in front of him, and he opened each to find a bud that bloomed into a freesia. All nine packages contained a different coloured freesia, and he didn't need to check the book to know what they meant. Although in different forms, they all said 'I trust you' and Draco never wanted to betray that trust.

'Whoever sent you those must be out of their minds.' Granger said as she pointed at the bouquet of freesias and Draco wondered why he had to be sitting at the Gryffindor table on this particular day.

'Hopefully, you will repeat that same opinion if the Wizengamot ever decides to prosecute my acquaintances, I will be counting on you, Granger.' Draco said in a dismissive tone and finished his coffee ready to head back to the east tower. Although the holiday had fallen on a Saturday, neither he nor Potter would be able to spend it with other people because of the bond. Either way, judging by the look on the Weaslette's face and the anemone she held in her hand, Draco rather thought that Potter would appreciate not having to deal with the Weasley girl for the day.

'..., it also means anticipation and excitement for the future...'Granger was saying in a soothing voice as Potter took the opportunity to drag Draco out of the hall.

Truthfully, Harry had sent the note to Dragon World because it was expected, but everything had become soo messed up lately that he couldn't decide what he felt for Ginny. Without a doubt, things had changed between them and he no longer felt the desperate love he once felt for her, but he couldn't put a name to the change. Sighing, he decided to think about it later and turned to speak to Draco for the first time in awhile.

'Have you really gone ahead and started a grey faction?' He asked the moment they were back in their room.

'Yea.' He answered.

'Why?'

'What do you mean why?'

'Why have you started it?'

'….because I am tired of this wizarding world. Because I am tired of your attitudes and self-righteousness. Because I want people to have choices.' Draco saw no reason to lie, not to Potter at least. 'Because I do not want my children to grow up in this world as it is.'

'What can you do?' Harry didn't even know why he was asking these things; he just knew that he had spent an entire month mulling the situation Malfoy found himself in and still had not come closer to the answers that he needed. What had happened in Dumbledore's office deeply disturbed him, and truthfully, he was not at all comfortable with the murder of another human being so that he can be the poster marriage for the next generation. He didn't want to be bonded to Malfoy, but he didn't want to kill him to be happy either; he couldn't live with that.

'Whatever needs to be done.'

'Even kill people?'

'No. If I can't win them with reason, I will find another way.'

'Does Voldemort love you?' The question was so random that Draco didn't know how to answer and only deigned to because he saw that Potter was also surprised by what had come out of his mouth.

'I am not sure love is the right word. He has a weird fascination with me; maybe it's my face or my blood purity.' Draco said trying to keep the bitterness from his voice.

'He and I are connected you see.' Harry hadn't had the Voldemort visions since his fifth year, and with the occlumency spell that he had bought from Dragon World, he hadn't even felt a twinge of the dark lord's rage or killing intent for weeks now, but that was beside the point.

'I see.' Draco said although he had no idea what one thing had to do with the other. He couldn't say he was shocked considering all he knew about Voldemort, but he was surprised that Potter had brought it up.

'He must be really obsessed with you.'

'He is.' This was said with a slight frown as Draco tried to figure out what Potter was getting at.

'That must be why I keep wanting to fuck you senseless even though you are a disgusting whore that's no better than Voldemort himself.'

Draco just stood there frozen, unable to say anything. Was there even anything he could say to that? He could say that he was not a whore but the desperate look on Harry's face told Draco that the Gryffindor was desperate for an anchor. Potter could not forgive himself for desiring someone he considered repulsive, and Draco felt sick to his stomach as he watched in silent horror as Potter brought their bodies and lips together. He wanted to get away from Potter, but to his horror, his body sought the comfort he knew could be found in Harry's embrace. Harry could hurt him badly, but he was also able to soothe his hurt and the conflicting emotions tore at him even as he placed his arms around Potter's neck and kissed him back.

They never made it to the bedroom, and they didn't say a word when everything was done. Harry knew that he had only wanted to justify his desire by saying those things to Draco, but he could not apologise. Draco, on the other hand, was just numb and without thinking, he went to the bathroom and had a steaming shower. It was not until he found himself in Snape's personal quarters without Potter by his side that he realised that the bond had somehow let up completely. He began to cry then, deep heart-breaking sobs that made Severus look worriedly at Remus Lupin who had been in his quarters for his vial of wolfsbane potion. He had never in his life seen his godson cry, and he was at a loss of what to do even though he could tell that Draco was in pain.

Cautiously, Severus pulled the boy into his arms and took him to the couch as Remus indicated and he let him cry on his chest while Remus rubbed Draco's back in confusion. He cried for a good thirty minutes before he calmed down.

'Draco, what happened?' Severus asked. He wondered if he should ask Remus to leave, but he was also afraid to be left alone with an emotional teenager when he didn't know what to do.

'Sex.' Draco said.

'What?' Severus asked now completely confused.

'I had sex with Potter again after he called me Voldemort's disgusting whore.' Now even Remus was not making sense of what was being said. 'I need to stop having sex with him, or I can't keep everything separate anymore.'

'What do you mean Draco?' Draco was yawning with exhaustion now.

'If I let Potter into my life, I can't keep everything else away. I don't need to remember anything godfather.' He fell asleep then, and Severus thought he looked like a lost child. He carried him to his spare bedroom and came back to find that Remus was still there.

'What is going on Severus?' The werewolf asked. The potions master didn't know whether to say anything at first, but then he thought that Remus was the nurturing type and if anyone knew how to help Draco, it would be him.

'Narcissa and Lucius, they drugged Draco, blocked his magic and gave him to Voldemort. Draco woke up to rape, and he couldn't do anything.' Remus looked at the man in horror and then remembered all that had happened and been said in the past few months and felt sick. 'Draco didn't show any signs of depression, and I thought he had somehow dealt with it, but it seems like he has repressed everything. Maybe what happened with Harry has triggered something in him.'

'He needs to deal with it, Severus.' Remus said solemnly.

'Normally, I would agree with you but Draco, he doesn't have many happy memories from his childhood. If he opens that can of worms, he might not have something to anchor him to reality, and all will be lost.'

'What do you mean he doesn't have happy memories?' Remus asked sceptically. This was Draco Malfoy after all, he knew of no one else in a more ideal position to be happy.

'He means that Draco has had a very painful and traumatic life.' Pansy said, and Severus turned to see Draco's friends walk into the room. With all that had happened, he had forgotten that they were meant to be brewing.

'What has happened?' Blaise asked without any attempt to hide his worry.

'Draco has had some sort of breakdown after sex with Potter.'

Severus said and if it hadn't been dark in the room, they would have seen the slight pinkening of his ears. It was awkward to talk about sex with his students, but Zabini and Parkinson knew Draco better than anyone, they needed to know what was going on.

'I see.' Pansy said. 'It was bound to happen sooner or later.'

'Why do you say that Parkinson?' Remus asked. It really was not his place to ask, but Remus felt like he had to. There was so much heartbreak and pain in the way Malfoy had cried, and it made him worry for the boy.

'After that article in September, Draco told us everything, but it felt like he was telling a story that had happened to someone else.' Blaise said. 'When he heard Professor Snape talk with Potter that one time, he said that he needed to get over it all. He used to love Potter before that moment, and the next thing we knew, he was indifferent to him. It's easy to see an act, but for Draco, it wasn't. His feelings for Potter disappeared, even when they were fucking like bunnies he still felt nothing for him.'

'What? Are you saying that their relationship has been sexual for a while?' Severus asked. He remembered that time during Christmas break, but he hadn't spent much thought on it.

'It's on and off.' Pansy said. 'If I am not mistaken, they have stayed away from each other since the grey faction incident in the hall.'

They must have been talking louder than they thought because the door opened again and Draco entered.

'You keep quite a keen eye on my sex life don't you Pansy?' He asked with a smile.

'It's because he keeps marking you.' She said, and they gave each other a knowing smile.

'Are you fine now Draco?' Severus asked as Draco took a seat. He nodded once to Remus before asking Blaise and Pansy to sit down.

'I am not fine.' He answered.

'No, you are not darling.' Pansy said. 'Your father has been casting the cruciatus on you since you were a baby and your mother didn't love you enough to stop him.'

Draco nodded, and Remus just watched in horror wondering what kind of father would do that, and why Parkinson was saying it so bluntly.

'Severus was too busy with the world to care about you, and Blaise and I couldn't do much to help you even though we tried. You couldn't leave because your father exacted the filial magic.'

Draco nodded again.

'At the beginning of last summer, Narcissa and Lucius drugged and bound your magic and gave you to Voldemort. He raped you; you could do nothing.'

Again he nodded.

'You got pregnant.' There was a gasp; even Severus had not gotten this far in Lucius' memories. 'They made you abort. They must have used a fertility potion because you got pregnant two more times and had abortions two more times. You lost three babies over the summer Draco.'

'Parkinson…'Remus started trying to stop the girl. Severus was trembling, but Blaise stopped the wolf from saying anything more.

'Someone broadcasted your horror and shame for the world to gape at.' Pansy continued, and Draco nodded again. 'Then you heard Potter speak about you being tainted and Severus agreeing. The bond was your way out of your personal hell, but you couldn't allow yourself to be in love with Potter when things were so convoluted.' She finished.

'I see, all this happened to me.'

'It did.'

'I feel a bit hurt.' The tears had started again.

'As you should darling.' Pansy agreed, but her eyes were completely dry.

'I need to be weak and think about this for a little bit.'

'You don't need to be strong until tomorrow Draco.' She encouraged.

'It might take a bit longer than a day to feel better.'

'Then the day after tomorrow is good too.' Blaise assured and with just a nod, Draco went back to the other room and fell asleep immediately.

'Why did you do such a thing?' Lupin asked the moment he was sure that the other Slytherin was not listening. 'Shouldn't you have been more delicate considering the situation?' He argued, his voice full of disapproval.

'No.' Pansy said. 'Draco doesn't know how to deal with emotions. What he needed was someone to state the facts to him in a logical manner, not someone to pity him. He will take his time deciding what being raped by a monster and having to abort three children means to him. He doesn't need anyone to tell him that. He also needs to figure out what Potter is to him.'

'But still….' Lupin protested.

'Draco is strong.' Blaise said. 'It's no use trying to understand how he processes things. If any of us had to go through what he has, we probably wouldn't keep our sanity but Draco will. He won't be fine right away, but he will be eventually. Trust us on this.'

'….and Severus, lift your head right away.' Pansy commanded, and the man did as he was asked. 'I know it was shocking to hear things stated like that, but you need to get over it soon. There is no use looking back, just don't betray his trust again or I will show you horrors you can't even fathom.'

'Anyway, we have to work.' Blaise said standing up 'Have you explained the potion to Professor Lupin?'

'What potion?' Remus asked in confusion. He had been a werewolf for too long to still not know about the Wolfsbane potion.

'The lycanthropy cure off course.' Pansy said matter of factly and the two older men just stared at her in shock.

'Excuse me?' Severus asked, and Pansy and Blaise looked at each other before comprehension dawned on their faces.

'Congratulations Professor Lupin, you have been chosen to be the first werewolf to take the lycanthropy cure developed by Dragon World.' Remus promptly fainted.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Aside from 'anticipation and excitement for the future,' the anemone flower can also mean 'forsaken or forgotten love and affection.' I will let you decide which you think Harry means given the situation.

Also, I found the meanings of the flowers I used from all over the place, and I chose the ones that suited my purpose. That will continue to be the case in later chapters if the valentine's product reappears.


	22. Lycanthropy Cure

**Chapter 22-Lycanthropy Cure**

Draco woke up slowly, stretching his muscles languidly and feeling like he had never slept better. He opened his eyes and sat up with a start.

'Sweet Merlin,' He cursed, 'why are you watching me sleep?' He asked the four faces that had seemingly been watching him as he slept. 'You almost gave me a heart attack.'

'We didn't get any work done today.' Blaise said with a bemused look at the professors. 'They have been watching you sleep for the last seven hours and willing you with their minds to wake up.'

'…..but why?' Draco was confused, and he frowned slightly as he remembered what had happened before he fell asleep. 'Is it about what was said because I need to think about that by myself.'

'No.' Lupin said urgently. 'The lycanthropy cure.'

Draco was confused some more. 'Why are you asking me?'

'We broke.' Blaise said with a sheepish smile. 'We thought he had come here to get it and we blurted it out.' Draco rolled his eyes before sighing; Lupin was not so bad really, plus he already knew more about Draco than Draco would have liked, but there was nothing to it now.

'I had no idea there is a cure for lycanthropy?' Severus asked managing to sound both annoyed and excited at the same time.

'There is.' Draco sat back on his bed to be more comfortable. 'Bill was supposed to speak to Professor Lupin to see if he would take it and be our ambassador for it.'

'So there really is a cure, and you are truly the person behind Dragon World?' Lupin asked as if afraid to believe such a thing. Many people had tried and failed before to come up with a cure after all.

'Yes, there is.' Draco confirmed.

'How does it work?' Severus asked needing to know the specifics because he had also studied lycanthropy in great depth.

'I call it cure, but it's not really a cure.' He saw Lupin's face fall. 'Don't be so disheartened before I explain professor.' Lupin nodded.

'Calling it a cure would imply that lycanthropy is a disease, but it isn't. It's like saying girls have a female illness. Girls have XX chromosomes while boys have XY chromosomes and I approached lycanthropy in that manner. I isolated the lycanthropy gene in a werewolf and realised that there is no way to remove it completely. What I did next was isolate the symptoms of lycanthropy-heightened senses, shifting, bloodlust, superhuman strength, and the others. I then categorised the symptoms into desirable and undesirable symptoms. When werewolves turn during the full moon, they are overcome with bloodlust, and that's when they become mindless. Isn't that right Professor?' Lupin nodded. 'I figured that heightened senses and superhuman strength are manageable symptoms and even desirable to some extent. Again, I could not remove the undesirable symptoms, so I decided to mutate them.'

'Mutate them?'

'Change them into something else.' Draco said. 'So, once a month on the full moon, your hair will turn a vivid white, and you will have quite the craving for chocolate.'

'Are you saying you manipulated the shifting gene to change the hair instead of becoming a wolf and the bloodlust into a craving for chocolate?' Lupin asked incredulously.

'Even I could not remove a fundamental make-up of the body, the best I could do was mutate.' Draco defended himself. '….and like the appendix in the human body, these mutations will not be inherited by your offspring since they have no use whatsoever in a human body.'

'Draco that is genius.' Lupin said, and he had tears in his eyes. 'It's more than any of us have ever hoped for and to think we can have children without fear of carrying on lycanthropy.'

Thank you.' Draco smiled relieved.

'Why chocolate though?' Lupin asked.

'Draco is a sucker for chocolates.' Pansy said. 'I bet he thought that everyone should understand the joy of chocolates.' Draco flushed pink, and everyone burst out laughing.

'Any chance I can take the cure before this full moon?' Lupin asked anxiously. He had been bitten as a child, and he was more than ready to not be a werewolf, he wanted to put down the terror he felt every time he transformed.

'Yes.' Draco said. 'I have some potion ready, but you need to take it an hour before the full moon.' He saw Lupin blanch. 'Don't worry, you will be within an unbreakable ward just in case it does not work, but I doubt it will be necessary.' Lupin's eyes went wide.

'That ward from that time?' He asked.

'Yes, I made it.' Draco smiled.

'I should have made the connection right there and then.' Lupin berated himself. 'Bill left Gringotts right after he went to speak to you about that ward.'

'What ward?' Severus inquired, but instead of explaining, Draco showed it to him. 'Dear Merlin, just when did you have the time to do all these things?'

'I started coming up with concepts the moment I began to think, but for a long time they were just theories.' Draco explained. 'I didn't start to act on the ideas until I came to Hogwarts because I didn't dare let Lucius know about this until I came of age.'

'I see.' Severus said sadly.

'What to do now that Professor Lupin has found out about me?' Draco wondered aloud.

'Don't Obliviate me.' The man said taking a cautious step back. 'I will keep everything I know to myself.'

'Are you using the legillimency spell?' The man shook his head no, a little embarrassed and Draco felt bad because he knew it was because he had not been able to afford it. 'I will do it for you since I need this to be kept as quiet as possible until the time is right.' Lupin nodded, and Draco did quick work of the spell.

'Can I ask you something?'

'Sure.' Draco answered.

'Were you serious about the grey faction?' The others looked at each other warily, but they relaxed when Lupin continued. 'After what I have heard and witnessed today, I can understand why you cannot fit in either the light or dark sides. Werewolves are the same you know. Purebloods treat us like we are beneath them and the light fears us and will not even allow us a means to live until they have a need for us. They are finding it hard to follow Dumbledore, but you may be able to sway them to the grey faction if you are serious about it.'

No one spoke for a minute, and Draco looked at the man trying to gauge him and see into his heart. 'Professor, would you be willing to work with us?' Draco asked.

'Doing what?'

'For now, teaching.'

'Teaching?' Remus hadn't expected that, but neither had the others.

'What are you on about Draco?' Severus asked.

'I have been talking to Slater, and he has informed me that most of the vampires are not educated, and I was already thinking of having someone give them lessons in the castle.' Draco explained. 'I know that werewolf children are also not sent to school, and there is enough space at dragon castle. The ones who want can move there, and after work, they can have lessons.'

'Draco, werewolves and vampires don't get along.' Blaise said.

'The reason why they don't get along is because they are both hunters but the ones moving in there will no longer be wolves. Also, the whole of Slater's clan is mated, they pose no threat to humans.' His reasoning made sense. 'Slater sent me a vial of his blood, and although I have ideas that could let them be able to walk in the sun, I haven't been able to do anything because the bond hasn't let me leave Potter's side for a while. I am also thinking of ways to handle their need for blood because that is the main reason they are unable to fit in society.'

'You seem to think a lot Draco.' Lupin said.

'I do, don't I?' He laughed a little.

'For now, I will be Dragon World's ambassador for the cure, and we can deal with everything else one step at a time.' Draco agreed before jumping out of bed.

'…..and now I expect everyone to help me make the batch of potions needed in the store.' They all agreed and went to Snape's private lab where they did not leave until midnight.

To be continued…..

 **Author's Note:** Am sorry everyone for the irregular updates, I hope you enjoy the three chapters I have put up.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter twenty-three as soon as I can manage, preferably, next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	23. Catch 22

**Warning:** I must apologise for any weird mistakes you might come across, I accidentally spilled juice on my laptop and now some keys won't work!

 **Chapter 23-Catch 22**

It was a cycle. One of them would do or say something, and they would fix it with harsh words, sex, or silence and this time was no different. Draco kept his distance and Harry made no attempt to mend what he had broken. He knew that he had been needlessly cruel, and maybe it was because of the animosity they had held towards each other for the past six years, but he could not bring himself to apologise. Apologising to Draco Malfoy meant that he cared to some degree for the other boy and that thought more than any other scared him. He wanted not to miss the days they would quietly sit for hours reading manga, and he wanted not to spend every waking moment thinking about Malfoy. He did not want to wonder what Malfoy was doing whenever they were not in sight of each other, and he desperately wished that Ginny still commanded all his attention whenever she walked into a room. Harry could not pinpoint the exact moment that things had changed, but he now knew that the simple rules that had defined his marriage in September of the previous year no longer applied. There would not be a clean break from Draco Malfoy and that confused Harry because in his simple world, good people did not get attached to people like Malfoy.

On his part, Draco was experiencing what could only be described as a catch 22. Even before the marriage business, Draco had had feelings for Harry for a long time, and no matter how illogical it was, he wanted Harry to discover his character by himself. He wanted Harry to know him well enough to realise that he would never willingly become Voldemort's lover, but then he also realised that nothing in their past encounters would have given Potter the basis to come to such a conclusion.

Over the past weeks, Draco had realised the truth about their bond, and unlike Potter who still held hopes that they would be able to live separate lives, he knew that was not possible. They needed to speak and start building some form of amenable relationship, but something prevented Draco from broaching the subject. He did not want to become more vulnerable to Potter by telling him some of what had happened, but he also knew that nothing would ever change if he did not say something to break the status quo. It took him days of second guessing his decision, but finally, Draco decided to speak to Harry and an opportunity presented itself one evening when he returned to their rooms in the East Tower after hours in the Slytherin common room with Pansy and Blaise.

Potter seemed to have just finished doing his homework, and Draco almost smiled at the almost childlike relief on the raven's face when he rolled back the thirty-six inches of parchment which Draco saw contained the potions homework they had been assigned just a few days ago. He waited until Harry had put away his writing stuff before he spoke:

'Can we talk?' He asked, and Potter had this complicated look on his face that for a moment there, Draco feared that the Gryffindor would refuse. It did not take more than a few seconds, but when Harry finally nodded his head in acceptance, Draco could not help but let out a breath in relief; he truly wanted to settle things between them. Without saying another word to each other, they walked the small distance to the rarely used dining table and took opposite seats from each other.

'I shouldn't have blamed my behaviour on him.' Harry said in a rush the moment they had taken their seats; as if afraid that the words would forever get stuck in his throat if he did not speak them then. 'I obviously desire you even though I hate myself because I do. All this time I have been telling myself that I am not cheating on Ginny because we are married, but our bond only needed consummation once. I can't understand why I keep wanting to touch you.'

It took Draco all he had not to comment on the pink that had spread all over Harry's face and ears, but he knew that it was not the right moment for such, so he chose to address the issue at hand directly.

'People lust even after people they hate. After all, hate is only another aspect of love.' Draco hazarded even though he knew that neither of them was nowhere near ready to deal with anything other than physical attraction.

'But…..'

'But Voldemort has touched me?' Harry nodded, and Draco could see the Gryffindor's discomfort at the admittance. Harry did not want to have this conversation, but like Malfoy, he acknowledged the necessity of it. 'You loath yourself because a part of you consciously wants this body that I have willingly shared with the vilest person imaginable?'

Harry nodded again, and Draco took a deep sigh in resignation. 'You and I are far from friends, and I honestly don't want to tell you this, but we need to somehow learn to live with each other.' Harry narrowed his eyes at him, and Draco sighed again, _it was going to be a long journey from the current attitude they had towards each other to a time they could freely share secrets_. Nevertheless, he needed to say what he had set out to.

'He did touch me, but I never allowed it.' Draco said, and he could see the moment his sentence registered in Potter's brain because the other boy's face contorted in wide-eyed horror. Maybe it's their interactions until then that had made Draco expect to be called a liar, but he was relieved that Potter seemed to believe him at once; he truly did not think he was well enough to convince someone else of the thing that had happened to him when he was still coming to terms himself. When Potter went to speak, Draco lifted his hand and stopped whatever the raven had been prepared to say, 'a long time ago, I spent hours in a day obsessing about what you thought of me, but when everything went to hell, I realised that I couldn't afford to care anymore. I did not have enough energy to both put myself back together, and care about any of you; so when you all made your own conclusions about this situation, I did not correct you because I couldn't care enough to.'

'Do you care now?' Harry asked because it was the only thing he could think to ask as the rest of his brain attempted to make sense of the situation. Truthfully, he was shocked. He had always assumed that Malfoy had wanted power and gained it that way; rape had never occurred to him, and he now realised that it should have. Malfoy was a vain creature, and even for power, it didn't make sense that he would go for the newly reborn Tom Riddle. These thoughts led to wanting to know what had happened and then remembering that night in Grimmauld place when Severus was talking to Bill which made Harry feel even more uncomfortable and afraid.

'No, I haven't started to care.' Draco answered simply, dragging Harry away from his thoughts. 'I am only telling you this because I have recently taken the time to think and what I need right now is peace; I don't need hostility in my own place of sleep. Ideally, we could try to get to know each other from now on, but if you are not inclined to, we don't need to like each other to have a truce within this quarters.' He finished.

'Truce?' Harry saw the offered right hand and had a Deja vu of six years ago when he had refused to take the offered hand. Somehow, he knew that the hand would never be offered to him again if he yet again declined to take it and that thought terrified him for a reason he did not want to think about. Steadily, he took the hand and barely refrained from gasping when he felt a ripple of magic pass between their joined hands. The magic was warm and having been in the wizarding world for a while now, Harry was fairly certain that it meant something, but he did not think now was the time to ask about it, so he let Malfoy head to the shower as he got ready for bed.

Feeling exhausted from the emotional baggage he had dealt with for the last couple of days, Draco slid into bed after his shower and for the first time since their argument, he did not make any great efforts to ensure that he lay at a distance from his husband. Potter on his part cautiously positioned himself beside Draco, and after what must have been an adequate time to him, he pulled Draco to him and held him within a cocoon of warm arms. Unexpectedly, he placed a chaste kiss on Draco's brow before he fell asleep and that more than any words he could have said assured Draco that everything would be fine. They were not a piece of broken equipment that could be fixed with the wave of a wand, but they were no longer standing still and expecting things to get magically better.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 ** _FREE CURE FOR LYCANTHROPY: AN INTERVIEW WITH A FORMER WEREWOLF_**

 _The daily prophet had an interview with respected former Hogwarts professor and former werewolf Remus Lupin to discuss this miraculous development, and this is what he had to say:_

 _'_ _I was approached by Dragon World to be an ambassador for their new cure for Lycanthropy. They explained to me how it worked and then gave me the cure which I took an hour before the full moon last week. Instead of changing into a wolf as I have for so many years, my hair turned white for a couple of hours, and I developed a craving for chocolate rather than the mindless bloodlust that comes with the full moon.'_

 _Shocked at such a revelation, this reporter turned to a healer at St. Mungos who explained the changes and this is what they had to say:_

 _'_ _I am amazed truly. It's impossible to get rid of the lycanthropy gene, but the person who developed the cure has manipulated the gene in such a way that the body is tricked into shifting the hair colour rather than shifting the body. Also, the lust for blood is changed for craving chocolate. The werewolves who take this potion can live a normal life, and their progeny will not even have the hair shifting gene or the chocolate craving mutation since these functions are not necessary and human beings are creatures of evolution. It is truly remarkable work that cannot be produced by anyone short of a genius.'_

 _What is even more remarkable is that the cure is free. All a werewolf needs to do is to walk into St. Mungos and receive the cure. This reporter has uncovered information that Dragon World approached the ministry of magic to help foot the cost of production, but the ministry refused the offer. Other ministries around the world including the French, Swiss, and American Ministries have agreed to a 50-50 cost sharing deal in the production of this cure. For the English, St. Mungos has agreed to pay 30 percent while Dragon World covers the rest. The daily prophet would like to offer their sincere gratitude to both Dragon World and St. Mungos, and urge the werewolves to go to St. Mungos for more details._

Harry was not the only one staring in shock at that day's daily prophet. He couldn't believe that Remus had not been a werewolf for almost a week and not told anyone. Seeing the look on Dumbledore's face, he also had heard nothing about it, and that was confirmed in the order meeting that was called some hours later.

'Are you really not a werewolf anymore?' Tonks asked once everyone was settled and as expected, every eye in the room was on Remus.

'I am not.' Remus smiled brightly, brighter than anyone had ever seen him smile and those who were close to him could not begrudge him the week he had taken to enjoy this news by himself.

'I can't believe you didn't even tell me.' Sirius sulked.

'I didn't want to spoil the surprise.' Not even Sirius' obvious annoyance could dampen Remus mood. He had approached the full moon the previous week with desperate hope but also with not a little trepidation and even when things had turned out exactly as they were supposed to, it had taken him a little longer to come to terms with his new self entirely. It would take much longer than the week that had already passed for him to change his mindset from that of a being that was hunted and hated, to someone who had the same opportunities as all the other wizards in the wizarding world. Shaking himself from his thoughts, Remus was quick enough to catch the end of Dumbledore's address.

'….but with this, we really cannot afford to ignore Dragon World anymore, and even the dark lord should be having the same thoughts.' Dumbledore said. 'Voldemort has an army of werewolves; he will not want to lose them to this cure. Whoever this person is, he is an asset worth an entire army for either side. You met the man Remus?'

'Well…... yes.' Lupin agreed, and anyone who was watching him closely would have noticed his discomfort with this line of enquiry.

'What did you think of him?' Everyone was listening eagerly now.

'He is exceptionally brilliant, but I got the impression that he will never work with either side.' Remus said and steeled himself from reacting aggressively to the attempt at intrusion into his mind he could feel. It seemed Dumbledore had asked the question, but that was only a formality because he intended to get an answer even if it meant using legillimency on his own people.

'Surely he would reconsider if we talked to him.' Hermione said, and her voice suggested that she had no doubt that the person would do just that. Since she began Hogwarts, Hermione Granger had been lauded as the smartest witch to walk the halls in a century, and if she could see the benefits of aligning with the light, she had no doubt that the Dragon world genius would feel the same way given a chance. It was the only logical course of action.

'I don't think he would.' Severus said surprising everyone in the room.

'What do you base your opinion on?' Dumbledore asked suspiciously.

'He sent me instructions for the cruciatus potion, but before I could even open them, I had to sign magically binding documents that prevent me from revealing anything I have learnt for a couple of years.' Snape said and lifted his hand to stop the headmaster from saying what was clearly on his tongue. 'I have checked and counterchecked, and there is no loophole in the agreement. I cannot reveal anything I know intentionally or even unintentionally. 'Some of the Order members looked impressed that someone had been soo thorough in maintaining the secrecy but Dumbledore and some of the others could not hide their displeasure at being thwarted yet again. Counting Severus, the order had now three people who had been in contact with the most sought after person in the wizarding world and yet none of them could be relied on for information about the individual. It was becoming an alarming trend and what worried the old man the most was the fact that none of the three especially the spy looked even the least bit concerned. It's as if they had chosen the interest of the person over the greater good.

'I also got the feeling that he would not be willing to join either side of this war.' The potions' master concluded.

'…but why did he send the instructions to you?' Charlie asked the question that was on everybody's mind.

'The letter said that he recognised my skills as a potions master and he wanted someone other than himself to have the ability to make it in case of anything.' Snape improvised and Dumbledore fell into a thoughtful mood that Snape had seen numerous times since their first meeting all those years ago.

'If he wanted to pass along the recipe for the cruciatus cure, then it goes to reason that he would do the same for all the other potions including the lycanthropy potion.' Dumbledore said and somewhere in there was a question that Snape did not need to think hard to find.

'Yes, I would imagine so, and I am making preparations with the expectation of that. I am hoping to find a way of binding myself long enough for me to access the instructions without binding myself permanently.' Severus said, and not even Dumbledore who knew the man well could detect the deception. In fact, Severus already knew the recipe, but the order did not need to know that just yet. Anyway, if he knew the headmaster as much as he thought he did, it was only a matter of time before the old man presented him with a 'solution' and when it failed like Snape knew it would, he would not have to explain himself or field the suspicion he could feel directed at him.

The room fell into silence as everyone attempted to think of a way to break an unbreakable vow until Ronald Weasley broke the silence and abruptly drew everyone's attention to him.

'Wouldn't Malfoy know this person?' Ron said with a contemplative look on his face that was ever only present whenever he was contemplating a chess move.

'How so ?' McGonagall asked.

'Harry, don't you remember that first time at your place?' Ron asked, and Harry frowned trying to grasp what Ron was on about. 'Malfoy put up that ward and both Bill and Remus said it was a very complex unbreakable ward unlike any they had ever seen before. Maybe Malfoy is in contact with this person.' Everyone looked at Harry in question, and he shrugged because he had never thought of the possibility. To be honest, the only reason he had not forgotten that interaction was because the suit against Ginny was still happening. For some reason, he had never considered asking Draco to drop it even when Ginny gave him the evil eye whenever she received a letter from the solicitor that Harry had helped her retain.

'He does get a lot of mail, but I don't think it has anything to do with the Dragon world inventor because it all started with the grey faction business. I have also not seen him with anyone except Parkinson, Zabini, and some other Slytherins.' Harry said.

'Bill, what can you say about this?' Molly Weasley asked, and the eldest Weasley was hard pressed not to feel like a naughty child caught doing something that he should not have been doing.

'Malfoy did put up quite a complex ward that one time, but when I asked him, he said he had received it as a birthday gift from someone. I didn't ask who and considering our relationship; he wouldn't have told me. Either way, I have never seen Malfoy with my employer or even heard mention of him.' Bill said. A good lie was one that intertwined fact and fiction, and he was sure Draco could take care of himself. 'You could try asking him though I doubt he will tell you anything considering his attitude the last time he was summoned here.'

Dumbledore nodded his agreement. 'Harry, I want you to monitor every move Malfoy makes, nothing is too little to report.' Harry nodded and wondered if he shouldn't have said that Malfoy spends a lot of time off the marauders' map? He didn't dare risk his map being confiscated though, and furthermore, he felt like he needed to protect Malfoy because the order had revealed itself as an enemy of the Slytherin. Whatever Malfoy was up to was his own business unless it somehow proved detrimental to the banishment of Voldemort.

The meeting ended with the promise that everyone would try in their own way to discover the identity of Dragon world's inventor, and in the time it took Harry to reach the East tower after spending some time with his friends, Draco had received warning of everything that happened in the meeting, and Snape's mention of the marauder's map had finally revealed to Draco how Potter always managed to find him except when he was in the room of requirement or his secret base in the owlery. Things had gotten complicated once more just when he was about to relax his guard a little, but he wasn't very worried, he would manage somehow. For now, he had letters to write.

 **Author's note:**

I wanted to post this on Draco's birthday but it's been soo busy! Work and the Yu-Gi-OH Duel Links world championships have kept me on my toes the last two weeks. Do any of you play Yugi? If you do, please contact me by private mail, and we can complain about the monsters in the ranked duels! Am still stuck in the gold ranks, and at the rate I have ben losing, I doubt I will be going to the finals of the championships. Anyway, in case you are one of the monsters that have been beating me senseless, please give me pointers. Anyway, if you want to friend me for friend duels and Vagabond duels, send me a message, and I will give you my player ID.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter twenty-four as soon as I can manage, preferably, next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe


	24. Letters

**Chapter 24-Letters**

Dear Slater,

 _I hope this letter finds you well and everything at the castle is as it should be?_

 _I have enclosed a package containing twelve phials of potion for each person in your clan. Drink it before bed tonight; it should help you face the sun in the morning. However, this is only a temporary solution and can only last an approximate three months. Your bodies will form a natural resistance to its continued use after several doses, but because of the blood samples you gave me, I have made much progress, and I have discovered a way that will help me make a more effective potion that should have a permanent effect. The problem is that the most important ingredient is not to be found in England but China. If you may, please select several of your clansmen to go on an ingredient hunting expedition-particularly ones with a working knowledge of plants, soil, and climate because I would like to have the plants replanted in the estate. The plant is called 'chilling grass' and can be found on Mt. Huashan in China. Please contact Marina as soon as possible; she will already have instructions to provide provisions for the journey and feel free to ask for anything else that might be needed._

 _As you know, not much is known about vampires since your race has been in the shadows for many centuries. If you could please provide me with information that could help me come up with a working plan that will assist us with your integration into the general society. Lifestyle, feeding habits, perception? Anything really would be appreciated, and you need not fear that the information will be misused in any way._

 _Once you have enjoyed the sun for a bit, please have the remaining members of your clan work on the grounds. It's vital we have planting land if the others manage to bring enough chilling grass that can be planted-it would not do to keep sending people to China every time we need chilling grass._

 _Please be very careful with your letters; I am being heavily monitored._

 _Hoping to hear from you soon. Thank you._

Draco Malfoy.

Dear Ms Edgecomb,

 _How have you been? I hope you are as fine as I am._

 _I am hoping to engage you in a task. As you well know, the cure for lycanthropy was launched just a few days ago, and I am hoping that a lot of werewolves will receive it and not have to shift next month. My task to you is in regards to this matter. The ministry strips properties and titles from werewolves and vampires amongst other magical creatures, and I would like to begin a campaign to get back what they have lost. If you can acquire a list of properties and titles stripped, it would be a great help._

 _I would also like you to look into cases where titles were reinstated in history, cases where there have been magical creature representation in the Wizengamot, and if there is precedence or any laws against it in history. I guess you can see my line of thought with the questions I am asking. Any information that could be of use will be greatly appreciated. Please relay it to Marina as soon as you can and do not hesitate to ask for anything you might need._

 _Please be very careful with our correspondence because I am being monitored. Keep in touch with Marina and only contact me when it's absolutely necessary._

 _Thank you._

Draco Malfoy.

Dear Professor Lupin,

 _I hope this letter finds you well. I am doing fine myself._

 _I have given much thought to what we discussed last time, and I would like to ask for your aid. Could you please introduce the werewolves to us? I am setting a plan that will lead to the werewolves recouping their lost rights and hopefully more. It is imperative that we establish good relations from the word go and any help will be greatly appreciated._

 _As you well know, I am being watched, and I cannot take big risks now. If you are willing to help, you can let me know the state of things by writing to Luna Lovegood; she will know how to get word to me. Otherwise, contact Bill and together with my solicitor, they should be able to manage things. Only contact me if there is no other way, I cannot risk Potter finding a letter written to me by you._

 _Anything you might need to carry this out will be provided, so please feel free to ask Bill or my solicitor, Marina._

 _Thank you._

Draco Malfoy.

Dear Bill,

 _I hope you are fine._

 _Professor Lupin may be contacting you soon about provisions and some werewolves, if he is agreeable, have him meet Marina._

 _No need to warn you to be careful with correspondence, keep up the good work and keep me updated as usual._

 _Thank you._

Draco Malfoy.

Dear Luna,

 _How are you?_

 _I have several tasks for you if you are able to spare some time. First, I have asked Remus Lupin to write to you if he needs to contact me because Potter is monitoring me and I cannot risk him finding out that I am corresponding with Lupin. Please pass along any information you receive from the professor._

 _Second, could you do some research for me? I want to find out the capacity of Hogwarts, and the restriction to admission. Information like that, I trust you will know it when you see it. I also need to know as much as I can about chilling grass-I will also be doing this research so concentrate on the first but if you come across any information on the latter, let me know. Please send the information about Hogwarts straight to Marina; she will know what to do with it._

 _Third, do you think it will be possible to have article space in the Quibbler in the next coming months? I will let you know the details once a plan becomes more concrete, but it would help to have media support when we launch the campaign I am imagining. I do not trust the daily prophet, but I trust you to present the facts as they are._

 _If you require anything, please let me know or request it from Marina._

 _Thank you, Luna._

Draco Malfoy.

P.S. you may be receiving information from Professor Snape so don't be surprised.

Dear Marina,

 _How are you? I hope you are well rested because you are about to be very busy._

 _One, Slater shall be contacting you soon. I am sending a couple of the vampires on an expedition to China; please provide them with enough provisions for the trip. Could you also get them a bottomless potions' bag for carrying the ingredient I am sending them to acquire? I also need work done on the estate grounds; please see to it that they have everything needed._

 _Two, Bill, Lupin, Edgecomb and Luna should be contacting you with information, and you are likely to be meeting a few werewolves soon. Use all the information you get to prepare a campaign- we want the werewolves to get their properties back, we want those who lost titles to get their Lordships back, and we want the children to be given a chance for education. Do what you can and more. Speak to them and try to garner allies for us-especially any previous Lords since we need representation on the Wizengamot. Keep Luna Lovegood up to date with the proceedings; she will help with media support when we need it._

 _I don't have to remind you that the decisions to move forward or not to should be left to the werewolves. If they are not willing to support our agenda, let them walk away but if they are-you must act independently of Dragon World. We don't want anyone to see our hand in this before the right time. I trust your judgement on how to deal with this._

 _I am being monitored so be careful with correspondence. Keep me up to date._

 _Thank you._

Draco Malfoy.

P.S. don't be surprised when the vampires call on you during the d _ay._

Dear Balthazar,

 _How are you doing?_

 _We have begun moving, and you should be appraised of the situation once the groundwork has become more concrete._

 _I was wondering if you can tell me how I can get the unspeakables to put their approval on one of our products? I know you are eager to begin analysing one of my spells and I want you to begin authenticating a shield. Please make a suggestion._

 _I am being monitored so be careful with correspondence, contact me only when necessary._

 _Thank you_

Draco Malfoy.

Dear Severus,

 _Thank you for the warning the other day. I have set things in motion, and you should be able to see results soon._

 _I have sent some of the vampires to China to acquire chilling grass, and while I know enough about it to know that it is vital for the potion I want to make, I still don't know nearly enough to ensure that I use it appropriately and efficiently. Any information you can provide about the ingredient will be greatly appreciated._

 _Also, if you can provide any obscure or not information about the holding capacity of Hogwarts School and any restrictions to admissions, please give it to Luna Lovegood, she will know how to handle it._

 _Be careful and thank you._

Draco Malfoy.

Dear Blaise and Pansy,

 _Things are in motion, and I will tell you the details as soon as I can._

 _Please be very careful; Potter has been tasked with monitoring me. Make sure to go to the secret base only when I am not with you because Potter has a map and an invisibility cloak that would make it easy for him to follow us in. I will devise a way for me to go there without bringing Potter with me._

 _Talk more soon. Thank you for everything._

Draco.

Draco was just tying the letters to Aristotle when Potter came to the sitting room of their quarters from the bedroom, rubbing sleep vigorously from his eyes. He noticed Draco and the owl right away.

'Who in the world are you owling in the middle of the night?' The boy asked, a slight frown on his face and Draco smiled.

'Only the key leaders of my grey faction.' Draco answered, and Harry looked at the letters tied to the owl again.

'That many?' Harry asked with some surprise in his voice.

'That many.' Draco confirmed. 'Off with you Aristotle.' The bird left and Harry frowned a little but held out his hand for Draco to take.

'Let's go back to bed.' He said, and Draco took the offered hand. Like every night, he let himself be held as they slept. Harry did not fall asleep right away; instead, he held Malfoy and was once again shocked that the grey faction was really a thing. Malfoy truly meant business and Harry was uneasy not knowing exactly what was being planned as he slept. He needed to seriously start trying to find out what was happening.

To be continued...

 **A/N:** I must apologise for the long wait-it seems I have been cursed with bad luck lately. First, work swamped me, and then my computer crashed, and I have only just managed to revive it and get it running. Things aren't fully back to normal, but I am devoting my time to ensure that I can upload at least two more chapters over the weekend.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter twenty-five as soon as I can manage, preferably within the next twenty-four hours. Until then, keep safe


	25. Beautiful Lady

**Chapter 25- Beautiful Lady**

After the letter sending incident in the middle of the night, Malfoy hadn't done anything suspicious and Harry was getting antsy since all Malfoy seemed to do was study. The boy spent hours poring over books in his library and finishing essays-Harry made sure to confirm that by checking his books whenever the Slytherin took short bathroom breaks. What he did not know was that Draco had not been placed in Slytherin by a fluke and he deliberately disillusioned his work to appear like his homework.

Fortunately, Draco took breaks to read manga or engage in a game of chess, but in as much as Harry enjoyed spending those times with Malfoy, he was dying to go out for a fly now that the bond had let up enough to allow them time apart. Unfortunately, he had gained an unhealthy paranoia, and he couldn't help thinking that Malfoy would take his absence as an opportunity to do get up to something. It was driving him bonkers, and he was even contemplating the thought of asking Malfoy to go flying with him so that he can fly and watch him at the same time.

Finally, on the fourth day after Malfoy had sent the mysterious letters, Harry resolved to ask him to go flying-maybe have a seeker game or something since neither had been able to play Quidditch for a long time now. He had decided to do it when they met for their shared history of magic class right before lunch.

During breakfast following his decision, Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, directly across from Draco; an intense look on his face as he stared at the boy as if he could stare Malfoy into plastering all his secrets on his face. It was only because he was staring soo hard that he noticed Malfoy's odd behaviour before everyone else. Malfoy seemed to be struggling to stay awake which was weird since Harry knew that the Slytherin had slept normally the night before plus he didn't think that Draco would display such bad table manners even in private let alone in front of everyone. He watched him attempt to say something to Parkinson but if the look on the girl's face was anything to go by, whatever Malfoy was saying was not making sense to her. Frowning a little in concern now, Harry continued to watch closely and not a few seconds later, the blonde attempted to stand only to fall over, but luckily, Parkinson caught him before his face smashed in a bowl of eggs sitting on the table directly in front of him.

Without thought of what he was doing, Harry was out of his seat and running towards the Slytherin table, but Parkinson saw him before he could get there.

'Don't come any closer Potter.' She shouted and those who hadn't been wondering why Harry was sprinting across the hall, now looked, and an excited chatter broke out.

'What is going on Mr. Zabini?' Severus asked as he walked from his place at the teacher's table. Blaise was now helping his girlfriend carry the weight of their unconscious friend, and they gently placed him on the bench as they waited for Snape to reach them.

'I think Draco has been poisoned.' Pansy said urgently, and Harry forgot about the threatening tone she had used to ask him to keep away as he ran the rest of the way. 'He said something about a naked lady before he lost consciousness.'

The hall had gone deadly silent as she spoke as if there was a mutual understanding between the occupants that they were to keep their mouths shut so that every detail of the interaction could be clearly heard for later disambiguation. Nonetheless, some of the students mostly from the Gryffindor side of the room could not help but snigger when they heard what Malfoy had said before his sudden collapse. If anyone were keeping a close eye, they would have noticed that most of the studious students including Hermione Granger and all the Ravenclaws had a pensive look at the statement. Most of the student body however associated the odd statement with hallucination and could not help but be consumed by unholy glee at the thought of a hallucinating Malfoy.

'Belladonna then?!' The potions master stated as he hoisted Draco in his arms making sure not to bang any of his godson's limp limbs on the table and bench. It would have been easier to use a levitation charm, but no one wanted to note that to the dour man especially when every line in his body betrayed an uncharacteristic tension to any who knew him well enough to suggest such a thing. 'Zabini, go to the dungeons and grab a bezoar from the cupboards. Parkinson, make yourself useful and grab whatever Mr. Malfoy was taking before the sudden collapse. Potter, lead the way to the East tower.' Snape said in a voice that brokered no argument, but Harry must not have been astute enough to notice that because he chose to question the man nonetheless.

'Shouldn't we take him to the hospital wing?' He asked, his tone of voice implying that he thought Malfoy desperately needed Madam Pomfrey and he did not understand why Snape intended to deny him that.

'Potter, I don't remember anyone asking for your bloody opinion so shut your trap and do as you are told.' Pansy said harshly and angrily. The stress of the situation was clearly getting to her and knowing that the girl would not callously endanger Draco no matter what, Harry decided to disregard every instinct in his body that was screaming that they should head to the hospital wing instead of the tower. Without another word, he began the tension-filled trek to the East tower ignoring the curious looks directed his way from his friends and the headmaster who had not made a move to leave his seat at the high table during the entire debacle. Pansy followed behind with the jug and cup of Draco's coffee, and Blaise showed up a few minutes after they had placed Draco in his bed with a bezoar which the potions master proceeded to stuff in the Slytherin's mouth. The group of four watched as the substance dissolved in Draco's mouth and they all released a relieved breath as his breathing became easier. It was hours though before his fever broke and he fell into a peaceful sleep devoid of the delirious mumbling that had been plaguing his rest.

The four of them stood vigil over Draco for the entire day and night, none of them willing to leave his side for a minute even when Severus stated that it would take awhile for him to regain consciousness.

Malfoy's colour grew better as the hours passed and Harry let out a breath he had not known he had been holding but he did not fully relax until Draco regained consciousness almost a day to the hour of poisoning. He was weak and was only awake long enough to assure them that he would be alright before falling asleep again, but Harry was glad for the assurance.

Without the worry that had kept everything else at bay, the four realised that they were famished and tired having not eaten or had more than a few winks of sleep in the last twenty-four hours, so they allowed Dobby to keep watch of Draco as they dashed to the great hall for breakfast. Harry had wanted to stay and eat in the room but he knew that his friends would likely show up at his door if he did not go down for breakfast.

Reluctantly, he made the walk down and instantly regretted his decision to not eat in the tower the moment he noticed the curious stares sent his way the moment he stepped into the hall. He had expected the curiosity but mixed in with the curiosity; he saw pity, anger, and a myriad of other emotions that he did not understand until he was presented with the daily prophet the moment he took his seat next to Ginny. He really should have expected it but even knowing the depths that Rita Skeeter would go to for a story, he had not thought she would sink that low.

 ** _Draco Malfoy wants to be pretty for Harry Potter._**

Harry's mouth dropped open at the heading of the front-page article and for a moment thought that someone was playing a very awkward joke on him until he read the accompanying article.

 _Draco Malfoy, bonded of our saviour caused yet another commotion yesterday when he was poisoned and unfortunately managed to survive the poisoning. Before he collapsed in a dead faint, Malfoy supposedly said 'naked lady,' which is another name for 'the beautiful lady' or even more commonly, belladonna. It is a fact that the poison is tasteless when ingested so there is no way that Malfoy could have known the poison that was used against him if he was indeed poisoned. This reporter has hazarded a guess, and many would agree that the most likely explanation is that Malfoy used the poison cosmetically and accidentally poisoned himself._

 _For those who may not know, belladonna is commonly used by women to promote pupilar dilation. Widely dilated pupils are perceived as a sign of beauty, and according to eyewitness accounts, Malfoy is very particular and vain about his looks. It does not take much to come to the conclusion that Malfoy has found himself attracted to the 'boy who lived' after spending many months in close proximity to him and is now desperate enough in his attempts to gain the saviour's attention that he has resorted to this dangerous method._

 _One student said, 'Malfoy is an attention whore, and he wants to take Harry from his chosen love.' Pardon the crude language, but it is the policy of the daily prophet to report statements as they are presented to our reporters._

 _Once again, this reporter would like to urge the Ministry and the headmaster of Hogwarts to take steps before Draco Malfoy decides that Ginevra Weasley is in the way of his desire and does away with her._

Harry did not bother checking the continuation of the story on page seven and instead dropped the paper like it was a nasty thing that had suddenly appeared in his hand and one that he could not stomach being in contact with for longer than necessary.

'What the hell is this?' He asked in shock and stood up from the table in a desperate attempt to distance himself from the ridiculous article.

'Malfoy is dangerous Harry.' Hermione said picking the paper that Harry had dropped, her face set in a look that Harry had seen numerous times over the years and one that he usually associated with a long lecture he could do without at that very moment. Uncharacteristically, he found himself squashing a sneer that was threatening to take over his face and instead let the incredulity he felt show.

'He is a Malfoy Harry.' Ron said, his face a mask of distaste as if the very thought of the name left a bad taste in his mouth and it probably did, but Harry could no longer feel the same distaste. Not after all that had happened in the past couple of months, and he found himself wanting to defend Draco but he did not know what he could say at that very moment. 'They are used to getting what they want, and Ginny could become collateral damage if you don't do something about it.' Ron continued, and Harry suppressed the desire to ask what exactly they expected him to do.

'It's true Harry.' Ginny made her voice heard. 'Don't you see the way he looks at me? He is jealous of me.' There was some pride in her voice that made Harry uncomfortable because it seemed to imply that she took great delight in having something Malfoy wanted but couldn't have. Putting his discomfort aside for later examination, Harry let the chocked laughter that had been bubbling in his throat come forth, and the great hall watched in alarm as he burst out into hysterical laughter. Maybe it was the stress of the last few hours or the confusion of finding it hard to sympathise with his friends about the situation, but he could not make himself stop. Hermione was about to suggest the hospital wing when he finally managed to bring himself under control and after wiping the tears that had trailed down his face; he adopted a serious look as he recalled the conversation he had had with Malfoy just a few days ago.

 _Do you care now_? Harry had asked, and he remembered the answer he had received very clearly.

 _No, I haven't started to care._

Sighing in resignation, Harry made himself speak.

'Listen,' he said slowly as if he was talking to slow-witted children and he might as well have been because he doubted they would believe a single word he said. Nevertheless, he continued. 'Me, you, the wizarding world, we have nothing that Draco Malfoy wants. It is the height of ignorance to think we are important enough to him to affect his decisions and actions in any way. At this point in time and after everything that has happened, only someone with the mental capacity of a toddler would believe this crap.' Harry said with a quiet anger that both surprised and discomfited several people in the hall including the headmaster who narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Harry was angry with his friends because they were acting like they usually did and somehow that no longer felt right but more so, he was angry with himself because he wanted Malfoy to be affected by him. It was a disturbing realisation and losing his appetite; he started to head out of the hall.

'Where are you going Harry?' Ginny shouted at him.

'To sleep obviously!' He shouted back. 'Like any decent human being, I naturally couldn't sleep last night and risk waking up next to a corpse.' He said, and this time he could not restrain the sneer that appeared on his face causing eyes to narrow even more.

The entire hall stared at his back in shock as the door closed behind him. He hadn't had such an outburst in ages, but to his defense, he was tired, worried and just angry. It's not like his friends and girlfriend had poisoned Malfoy and he would apologise later for shouting at them but right now, he simply couldn't deal with irrational comments borne of hate.

Harry walked quickly to the East tower and found that none of the others had come back to the room for which he was grateful. Methodically, he stripped down to his boxers but didn't have the energy to wear his pyjamas so he slipped into bed as he was and like usual, brought Malfoy within his arms and fell asleep immediately.

Severus found them like that when he returned to the room later in the day. He had heard about the commotion in the hall, and for hours he sat looking at them sleep, and he wondered what would happen to them. They were both changing, and while Draco was ruled by his logic, Harry was ruled by his emotions, and at the moment, those were out of whack. Harry was confused, and even if he ever got past his confusion, Severus didn't know if Draco would or could accept Harry. Love and all that emotion may be enough for Harry, but it was not enough for Draco. He needed so much more than love before he even thought of accepting Harry into his life and Severus hoped that Harry would realise that before long. Draco kept on walking forward without looking back and soon enough; Harry may find that he can no longer spot Draco's back in the distance. Severus did not want that to happen to them; he didn't want them to be a victim of life and timing like he had been with Lily Evans.

It was almost time for dinner when Draco woke up again, and for reasons Harry did not care to explore even under threat of torture, he had been watching Draco sleep for hours. He couldn't say what he had been looking at, but he had been fascinated all the same. He had been entranced by the way Draco seemed to pout in his sleep and the way he tended to unconsciously follow Harry whenever the Gryffindor had tried to leave the bed for some reason or other. In his sleep, Draco was angelic, and Harry marvelled at the grace in his movements as the Slytherin stretched his limbs as his body and mind woke from the long slumber.

'You are up?' Harry asked when Draco had fully opened his eyes.

'No, am still sleeping genius.' Malfoy said as he rolled his eyes and Harry couldn't help the smile and blush that came over his face. The Slytherin was fine if he had the cheek to sound so condescending first thing after a poisoning. 'Was it my coffee?'

'Yes.' Harry confirmed. He explained that the potions master had run several tests on the coffee and had found an extract of Atropa belladonna in the beverage. 'How are you feeling?'

'I feel okay, just a little nausea but that is to be expected.' Draco answered.

'Should I get a potion for that?' Harry asked in concern and made to stand, but Draco pulled him back to the bed.

'It will pass; as I said, it's to be expected.'

Harry was doubtful on the wisdom of leaving it be, but he let it go with the promise that he would call for Severus if it did not pass. 'By the way, how did you know that it was belladonna?'

There was no accusation in Harry's voice; not that Draco knew there was a reason Harry would be accusing him of poisoning himself; just plain curiosity.

'Actually, I didn't.' Draco said much to Harry's disbelief.

'What do you mean?' Harry asked.

'I just guessed.' He answered, and Harry was hard pressed to keep from shouting at the blonde. What did he mean that he had just guessed? What would have happened if he had been wrong? Harry tried not to think of that possibility and brought his mind back to Malfoy who was speaking again. 'I remembered that Madam Sprout's fifth-year herbology students have been harvesting belladonna for the last few weeks. The symptoms I felt at that moment felt very much like belladonna, so I was pretty sure of my guess. I just assumed that someone has a very morbid sense of humour.' Draco shrugged nonchalantly, but Harry could hear the bitterness in his voice, and it made him angrier at the person who had done this. Something in what Draco had said nagged at his brain but before he could give it much thought, Draco broke the silence.

'How is Biddy?' He asked.

'Beside herself.' Harry answered truthfully, and Draco frowned despite the fact that he had expected that very answer. 'She left the coffee brewing for a moment and didn't see who did it. She has been bawling since you fainted yesterday.'

'I did not faint.' Draco said with a straight face, and Harry did not know whether to be amused or concerned by his husband's blatant denial of reality. After a few minutes where nothing was said, Draco sighed and called the little elf and true to Potter's words; the elf was inconsolable.

'Biddy, is this how a Malfoy elf should behave?' Draco asked in a firm voice, and the house-elf stopped crying immediately. She straightened her back, and in his mind, Harry had the mental image of a soldier being called to attention.

'Biddy is sorry she is letting master be poisoned.' Draco nodded. 'Biddy is taking more care with master's food.'

Even though Draco wanted to say that it was not the elf's fault, he knew that it would do no good so he let her say her piece.

'Thank you, Biddy.' The elf bowed. 'Now Biddy, I am feeling a bit tired and hungry.' Harry would have laughed at the eager look that came over Biddy had Draco not sent him a dangerous glare that warned him against that very action. 'Won't you take care of me for a bit?'

'Biddy is taking care of her master Draco.' She agreed happily. 'Biddy is making master something special.' She was gone before Draco could say more

'You really know how to handle her.' Harry said and took note of what to do if he ever found Dobby bawling like that.

'Off course.' Malfoy said with a smile. 'Nothing can take her mind off things than the happiness of taking care of me.' He smirked.

'How arrogant.' Harry smiled indulgently as he said that.

'I am her favourite person Potter, and coincidentally, she is one of mine.'

'Really? An elf as one of your favourite people?' Harry asked sceptically.

'Don't be so surprised Potter, a person's worth has little to do with species.' Malfoy said seriously. 'You will sometimes find the best allies in the most unlikely of places.'

'I will keep that in mind Malfoy.' Harry said, and he truly meant it. Dobby had helped him many times and he did consider him to be one of his better friends when he was not trying to help him because that sure never ended well for him.

In the lightest mood since the poisoning, Harry changed the subject, 'what do you want to do as we wait?' he asked.

'I can think of a lot of things I want to do.' Draco winked before he continued. '...but I was not exaggerating when I said I am a bit tired. Can we just sit and talk?'

'Anything you want.' Harry answered with a smile and leaned back on the headboard of their bed. Pulling Draco so that his blonde head leaned on his shoulder came as natural to Harry as flying always had.

To be continued…

 **A/N:** It took a little more than twenty-four hours, but chapter twenty-five is finally here. I hope you all enjoy.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. Otherwise, expect chapter twenty-six as soon as I can manage, preferably before the end of the weekend. If I don't manage this weekend, Thursday is a definite. Until then, keep safe.


	26. Revelations

**Chapter Twenty Six-Revelations**

Biddy had served a delicious dinner which both boys had eaten with relish but the warmth of the meal combined with the exhaustion of the last few days caught up with them as soon as they finished their dessert, and they both fell asleep right away.

Harry was having a pleasant dream where he was flying over a field of golden wheat when he was rudely and suddenly ripped from his dream world. He opened his eyes in confusion, taking in the dark room and trying to understand what had woken him up and frowning when he couldn't pinpoint the problem. He was just about to force himself back to sleep when he heard it. It was a small pain filled whimper; much like one would expect from an animal caught in a hunter's trap and now wide awake in alarm, he grabbed his glasses that lay on his bedside table and hastily put them on. Using the dim light that stole in from under the bathroom door, he turned to see Malfoy tangled in the beddings and the more he fought to free himself, the more tangled he got, and the more he became hopelessly trapped. Harry would have found the situation a bit funny except for the fact that the Slytherin's eyes were wide open and they stared unseeingly at something Harry couldn't see while tears fell in a steady stream down his fair cheeks. There was something horrifying about it all and not knowing what to do, Harry began shaking him and just when he started panicking because Draco wasn't waking up, the silver eyes seemed to lose their glazed look and became focused on Harry's face.

Draco looked at Harry, made a chocked noise, and before Harry could say anything, Malfoy was kissing him. Kissing him with an urgency that suggested the boy was trying to regain something and Harry didn't fight it even when he was pushed on his back, and Malfoy climbed on top of him. Malfoy didn't seem very aware of what he was doing, but he appeared to need it, so Harry did nothing more than hold Malfoy by the hips. Malfoy vanished their clothes with a wave of his hand, and another wave lubricated his hole. Before Harry could stop him, he impaled himself on Harry's erected dick and screamed at the sudden pain mixed with pleasure. Harry held his hips to still him for a minute, but Malfoy would not have it, and he began to move; bouncing up and down on Harry's shaft while the Gryffindor tried to get past his shock long enough to comprehend what was happening. His mind screamed that this was not the way to deal with whatever Malfoy was experiencing, but it was hard to listen to that part when the rest of him wanted to focus on the pleasure he was getting. Deciding to think about it later, he let himself go, and it only took a short time before Malfoy was screaming his orgasm and taking Harry with him.

When they had both regained their breath, the blonde collapsed on Harry's chest, and Harry held on tightly to the shivering boy. His hands travelled up and down the blonde's back in a soothing manner, and he did not stop until he felt even breathing indicating that his bed mate had fallen back to sleep. Only then did he wandlessly and wordlessly clean them but he did not let go of Malfoy; he let the boy sleep on top of him while he threaded his fingers in the other's soft platinum locks.

Despite how tired Harry was, the chaos in his mind would not let him fall back to sleep right away. Although Draco had been the one to take advantage of him physically, he felt like he had been the one to take advantage. Malfoy had not been in his right mind, and knowing what he knew about the situation with Voldemort, it was not a stretch for Harry to figure out the likely nature of the nightmare that had driven Draco to attempt to reclaim sexual control. Harry knew that they needed to speak about it, but it was a daunting task and one that he was not sure he was ready for. He wanted to know what had gotten Malfoy so terrified and panicked and be allowed to help but he also knew that that would irrevocably change their relationship in ways he was not ready for yet. One thing he was sure of though, was that those beautiful silver eyes should always be filled with happiness rather than tears, pain, and fear and he decided that in the little way he was allowed, he would try to bring Draco that joy.

Harry must have fallen asleep at some point, and when he woke up, Malfoy was gone, and a quick look at the marauder's map tracked him to the dungeons walking with Parkinson and Zabini. Harry took a quick shower, dressed fast and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. As he walked from the East tower, he remembered with a cringe his blow up from the previous day, and when he got there to find himself being ignored by his friends, he realised that it was time to face the music.

'I am sorry guys.' Harry said the moment he sat down. 'I was exhausted and suffering from lack of sleep; my temper was just itching to explode, and you did not deserve my outburst.' Harry was aware that he had not said anything that wasn't true, but he could have said it in a better way. He looked apologetically at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny and almost sighed in relief when he saw a small smile appear on Ginny's face before she spoke.

'Anyone would be stressed if they had to stay up all day and night taking care of someone they didn't care about.' She said almost challengingly, and Harry didn't correct her about the caring part. He couldn't say that he was no longer so sure that he didn't care because he didn't want to get into another fight when she was letting it go this easily. The fact that he cared would remain his secret for now as he tried to figure out exactly why the years of enmity no longer seemed to matter with each day he spent with the blonde Slytherin. The weight of the insults and humiliation that had passed between them over the years kept lessening and Harry could not bring himself to mind.

'We care about you, Harry, and we are afraid of what he could and will do.' Hermione said in the motherly tone she had been adopting, and Harry had a distinct impression that she felt he was testing her patience every time he spoke or did something. It was not exactly a new insight since she always had that attitude whenever she attempted to explain something to him and Ron that she thought was obvious. This time, however, Harry felt a condescesion to the tone that he had never detected before.

'Yea.' Ron agreed grudgingly, and Harry felt that he unlike the others did not want to let go so easily but was forced to do so. What was forcing him, Harry couldn't begin to guess, but Harry was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. It was probably Hermione, so he didn't dwell much on it.

'The ferret is a death eater mate; his entire family are death eaters. The Malfoys have never been anything but evil.' Ron continued, and Harry nodded because it was easier to nod and say yes than argue that they had all seen Malfoy shirtless on Halloween and he did not have a single blemish on his perfect skin. Harry also knew from experience that there was no flaw anywhere on the blonde's beautiful body. His thoughts went back to the previous night when he thought of Malfoy's body. That had been the first time they had had sex since calling the truce, and he really didn't know what this meant for them; for now, he would just go with it and see how Malfoy reacted.

'Are you listening Harry?' Ron asked looking exasperated that his friend had been wool gathering when he was talking to him.

'Sorry Ron, what were you saying?'

Ron leant in closer. 'Have you managed to find something on Malfoy?' He asked in a conspiratorial tone.

'No, all he does is read and do homework.' Harry said, glad that he didn't need to lie. Maybe he wasn't telling the whole truth, but he wasn't technically lying either. Malfoy's grey faction was a point of interest, but he knew nothing about it yet, and he didn't want to jump the gun and have his chance of finding out more compromised. 'Maybe he will do something now that he has recovered.'

'Probably.' Ron agreed and kept his thoughts to himself. He had known Harry for a long time, and even though the boy who lived had gotten better at hiding his feelings, Ron could still detect that something was off with Harry. To be truthful, he thought a lot of things were off with the entire bonding and Malfoy situation, but he couldn't seem to connect all the dots.

Malfoy should have been poor, and yet he had been able to buy something worth three million galleons during Christmas the previous year! Although Ron still suspected that the Slytherin had not completely cut off ties with his family as he pretended to have, the very nature of the Malfoy family made him question his own theory.

The bond Malfoy had entered into was unbreakable, and since Harry was a half-blood, any children born of the union would not be purebloods. Ron seriously doubted that Lucius Malfoy would allow his only heir to bond with a half-blood even for information about the light side. There was the fact that Draco Malfoy could sire an heir with someone other than Harry, but that child would be a bastard, and it was unheard of for a bastard to inherit in a family like the Malfoys. The more he thought about it, the more the prospect that Malfoy was still in contact with his family became unlikely, and the more desperate Ron became to cling to that theory because the alternative was worse.

Grudgingly, Ron had had to consider the possibility that Malfoy not only knew the owner of Dragon World but was in fact he. The store had begun right after Malfoy bonded with Harry and when Ron examined the situation more clearly, little things that meant nothing by themselves started to come together to form an unsavoury picture. Bill quitting Gringotts right after speaking with Malfoy. Numerous letters delivered by regular owls instead of the eagle owls that the Malfoy family preferred. The unexplainable financial independence that allowed Malfoy to continue with his normal lifestyle. Genius way of playing chess and the most of obvious of all, the name of the store. It always surprised Ron that he seemed to be the only one to connect these pieces together, but he also had to give the allowance that everyone else was also playing their cards close to their chest-merlin knew he was yet to voice all his suspicions to the order or anyone for that matter.

Sighing, Ron thought of the one thing that had prevented him from at least discussing his theory with Hermione. Aside from potions, Malfoy had not even once outperformed Hermione in the last few years which made the likelihood of him being the inventor less likely, but Ron was not blind to the fact that Malfoy could have been hiding his abilities this entire time. If that was true, Malfoy and his grey faction could be more of a threat than anyone had yet to realise.

For now, Ron hoped that Malfoy was just another contact for the inventor of Dragon world because then, the order had the chance to attract the real owner to the light. Ron would not stick his head in the sand though; he would continue to check for signs that Malfoy was more than he 'pretended' to be. Sighing again, Ron forced his mind back to the conversation at hand.

'Harry, I was thinking that we could go shopping when we go to Hogsmeade this weekend.' Ginny said, and Harry suppressed the urge to groan although he appreciated the change in topic. He had never been one to enjoy things like shopping, but he also needed to reconnect himself with his friends, so he grit his teeth and resigned himself to the inevitable.

'Sure Ginny.' He answered. 'Anything in particular you want to buy?'

Ginny took that as a cue that everything was all well between them and linked her arm through Harry's. It didn't feel right, but Harry forced himself to keep the contact although all he wanted was to yank his arm away. He watched Ginny flutter her eyes and for a confused moment there; he almost offered to blow out whatever was in her eyes before he realised she was flirting. If he was honest, Ginny was a beautiful girl, and he had felt a sense of accomplishment knowing that his girlfriend was one of the most sought-after girls in Hogwarts, but all he could think now was that she wasn't Draco. Her flirtation was too obvious while Draco would have let his eyes droop seductively and...

'Harry?' Hermione called impatiently, and Harry realised that he had missed whatever Ginny's answer had been. 'What is with you today?'

'Sorry Hermione, I suppose I am still a bit tired.' He answered quickly and shook his head a bit in a vain attempt to rid his mind of the cloud of lust that had invaded it.

'I was saying that this entire marriage has been hard on Ginny, and it has affected your relationship.' She said again when she was sure that she had Harry's attention. Hermione Granger was not the brightest witch in a century for no reason, and she was not buying any of Harry's 'tired' act, but this was not the time to get into that.

Grudging, she could admit that Malfoy was one of the most beautiful people she had ever met, and that was saying a lot considering that they had had veelas in the castle in their fourth year. While her best friend was capable of resisting the imperius curse, Hermione did not have any faith that Harry could resist a determined Malfoy; not when said Malfoy was pretending to be less evil than he truly was. Harry may not see it yet, but Hermione could see that he was falling fast for their mortal enemy and that could not be allowed to happen. Something needed to be done and fast.

'Maybe the two of you should take some time to be alone during the Hogsmeade visit. You could go shopping with Ginny first, and then meet us for dinner at that new restaurant.' She suggested, hoping that Ginny would take the opportunity to get Harry back on track.

'There is a new restaurant in Hogsmeade?' Harry asked in surprise. He hadn't been to Hogsmeade since they came back from Christmas break; first, because the bond had not allowed him to separate from Malfoy and after that, Harry had had to compensate for the training he had missed because of the bond. The only reason he was even going this time was because Dumbledore had to represent the English wizarding community in an International confederation of wizards meeting that weekend, and he had not been able to find a replacement with the skill that Harry required. Although Harry knew he needed the training if he was going to stand a chance against Voldemort, he wasn't too regretful about missing one session because he had genuinely missed going to Hogsmeade.

'It's so posh, Harry.' Ginny gushed in excitement. 'We have been waiting for you so that we can try it out together.'

Unbidden, a thought came to Harry informing him that they had waited so that he could pay. The unwanted uncharitable thought shocked Harry so much he almost stood up from the table. He had no idea where it had come from or why it had come in the first place, but it was there, confusing him because he had always enjoyed sharing his wealth with his friends. Before he could think more on it, Ginny stood up and turned to Harry with a regretful look.

'I am sorry, but I have to go now, see you at lunch.' She kissed Harry on the cheek before she left. Grey eyes watched the entire scene and thought that Harry looked slightly uncomfortable which made their owner just as uncomfortable. Pushing his discomfort aside, Draco turned back to his coffee which he was sure Biddy had stood over until it was done to avoid a repeat of the poisoning. Thinking about the poisoning brought a frown to Draco's face because his friends had already told him everything that had been in the paper and even if they hadn't, he would have noticed that something was wronger than usual because not less than ten people had mockingly called him pretty on his way to breakfast.

He had been poisoned, and the school took it as another form of entertainment for them, and Draco couldn't help but be pissed. Severus had told him that morning that the poison had been put in his coffee by a confounded elf, but Dumbledore had closed the case saying that there was no way to know who had cursed the elf. The four Slytherins who had gathered in Severus' quarters knew that that was bullshit and while Dumbledore was willing to put matters to rest, Draco had no such intention. He was aware that Ginevra was the culprit, and she would pay.

Angrily, Draco raised his head and directed a glare at the place she had been only moments ago, but his expression lost its hardness as he once again got caught up watching the fleeting emotions on Harry's face, as he listened to what his friends were saying to him.

'Harry, you have to do something to make Ginny feel secure in your relationship again.' Hermione said seriously, and although Ron seemed to agree with the sentiment, he didn't say anything.

'What can I do Hermione?' Harry asked. 'I am just beginning to get my privacy back after that bond debacle, and we still don't know what triggered it in the first place.'

'I know, but Ginny is important too.'

'I know that.'

'Maybe you should buy her something that shows that you still love her and want her to be in your life for the long run.'

Harry flinched at the implication of that and frowned before he answered his best friend.

'Hermione, I am married, I can't give her a ring.' He said quickly, maybe too quickly. The very thought of giving Ginny a ring made him nauseous, and if he was honest with himself, he knew that love and devotion were no longer the reasons he was staying with her. It was not honourable to lead her on when he already knew that things had changed between them, but he was afraid to let go and lose everything in the process.

'I know that Harry.' the Gryffindor girl rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, and Harry's eyes widened in confusion because everything felt horribly rehearsed to him; as if he was an actor in a play written by someone else. She continued, 'marriage rings are not the only rings you can give to a person, there are other rings with different meanings.'

'Is that so?' Harry asked with a raised eyebrow that made his friends frown because they had seen that same expression on Malfoy's face a hundred times before. Harry on his part just wanted to beat a hasty escape from his friends, but he knew that would be impossible unless he gave some sort of concession.

'I will see what I can do when we go to Hogsmeade.' He said, and he had apparently said the right thing because his two friends smiled genuinely at him. Looking at them, Harry didn't think they had changed; in fact, he remembered them being always that way but he didn't understand why he perceived them so differently now. It was like he was looking at them through different eyes and he didn't know how he should feel about that.

Harry was happy that the rest of the day passed without incident and although he had kept a lookout for the remainder of the day, the odd feelings he had had at breakfast did not make another appearance making him think that he had imagined them all along. He couldn't have been more wrong as he discovered when he went back to the East tower after dinner.

He arrived in the quarters to find Malfoy gone and after retrieving his cloak and map, Harry was set to trail him to the dungeons where he seemed to be headed. However, before he could begin his stalk, he was caught by another two dots and out of a curiosity that he really couldn't place, he headed to the astronomy tower.

The trek did not take long. On the way, he had kept watch of the two dots to make sure that they had not moved and when he got there, it occurred to him with misplaced amusement that they were moving-just not in the way he had expected.

Harry could not see their faces, but he knew that the girl being humped from behind by Dean Thomas was no other than Ginny. Surprisingly, the anger that any normal person would feel at realising that they were being cheated on did not materialise in Harry. He didn't know why he stayed, maybe it was to reassure himself that he truly felt nothing at the scene that unfolded in front of him, but stay he did.

The oblivious couple fucked, they came, and Harry left because there was nothing else to see. All he felt was 'relief' because now he no longer had to feel guilty for desiring Malfoy with such an urgency that he worried his body would catch fire.

Deciding to start following Malfoy on the next day, Harry went back to their room only to find his query there. Malfoy seemed to have just gotten back himself; and when their eyes met, all Harry saw was Draco with his slightly trembling lip and eyes molten silver with a fire that was uniquely his.

'Kiss me.' Draco ordered causing a burst of lust to erupt in Harry.

It was the first time that the Slytherin had initiated a sexual encounter except for the previous night which didn't count in Harry's books, and it made his heart pound so loudly he feared that everyone in the castle would hear it. Tentatively, Harry moved closer, and when their lips finally connected, he had the sudden thought that he would not mind staying in that exact moment for the rest of his days.

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 ** _Earlier that day right after breakfast…_**

'I am sorry, but I have to go now, see you at lunch.' Ginny kissed Harry on the cheek before she left. She hurried through the halls knowing she was late but there was nothing to be done about it. Her cue to leave the Great Hall was when Dumbledore got up from his place at the teacher's table, but she had to make sure that everything was right between her and Harry, so she had taken the few minutes required to ascertain that. Ginny was sure the headmaster would understand.

Within minutes, she arrived at the headmaster's office, and the gargoyles sprung open for her without requiring her to say the password that had been noted on the small bit of parchment that rested in her pocket. Nervously, she rubbed the paper in her pocket as if trying to ascertain that it was still there, but that was only a distraction because she knew why she had been summoned there and it had nothing to do with the paper. She wanted to be remorseful for her actions, but she simply wasn't.

'Have a seat miss Weasley.' The old man said the moment Ginny walked into the office. There was censure in both his voice and face, and she prepared to feel his displeasure as she sat down.

'Headmaster...' she began.

'Miss Weasley, I expected less impulsive behaviour from you. Not only did you put Harry's life in danger, but you also sabotaged yourself in the process. What do you think would happen if Harry found out you are the one who poisoned Mr Malfoy?' It was a rhetorical question that required no answer and Ginny did not try to offer one.

On his part, Albus was trying to contain the anger that bubbled just below his surface. The silly girl should have known better than to act so recklessly and yet she had poisoned the young Malfoy without regard for what would happen to Harry. He watched as she tilted her chin defiantly and he had to restrain himself from throttling her.

'Can't you see Professor, if we do not act quickly, Malfoy will steal Harry from us.' Ginny was not as stupid as everyone assumed and she saw how Harry had been changing since he bonded with Malfoy. He had become distant with her to the point that he barely touched her and even when he did like today; he would flinch in what she could tell was revulsion. She knew that Harry's heart had already been stolen, but his heart was a luxury she could live without. Ginny didn't care for as long as everything else belonged to her.

Harry could not be Malfoy's. Ginny's family needed Harry, the Order needed Harry, and most importantly, she needed Harry. She shouldn't be blamed for trying to protect what was hers from the likes of Malfoy.

 _Plus, if Malfoy was not around, that bloody defamation suit would amount to nothing._ She thought as she remembered the summons she had received just days before she had decided to poison Malfoy. Her solicitor wanted a meeting to discuss the terms that had been given by Malfoy's side and her blood boiled every time she thought that she would have to apologise and pay reparations to that faggot death eater. Her face had begun glowing red with anger when the headmaster spoke.

'No matter your reasons, such selfish acts will not be tolerated.' Dumbledore said, and from the aura of power emanating from his person, Ginny knew that she would be placing herself in peril if she did not toe the line. Most people got taken in by Dumbledore's white hair, twinkling eyes, and bright robes but not Ginny. In fact, she saw him as kindred spirit-they were both very kind when they got their way; otherwise, they could be more ruthless than any self-proclaimed dark lord.

Being the stronger of the two, Dumbledore had the upper hand. Although it irked Ginny that she was being forced to do nothing about the situation, she knew that she would end up on the winning side since her interests aligned with the old man's this time around.

'Not to worry though, Harry is not going anywhere.' The old man assured, and Ginny believed him entirely. She had no way of knowing it, but Dumbledore was sure that young Miss Ginevra Weasley could as yet gain the Mrs Potter title she desired so much. All would be revealed in time though.

'Thank you, sir.' She said and stood up, knowing that it was time for her to take leave. 'I will let you know if I notice something.'

Dumbledore nodded his head in acceptance of her unvoiced apology. Good, he did not need a chasm to form between Harry and his friends or the order for that matter. There was more than Voldemort at stake, and he was not willing to be in bad terms with Harry especially if what he had begun to suspect was true. He had caused some damage by implying that the Malfoy boy would not survive the war and while he knew it would not be easy, he needed to start rebuilding his relationship with Harry.

 _Harry needed to trust him_. Dumbledore thought as his old wrinkly fingers ran lightly over the letter that contained his summons for the International Confederation of wizards meeting. _Harry simply must trust him again_!

To be continued…

 **A/N** : Hello everyone. I am finally back with a new chapter, and this one is longer than any of my previous chapters; I hope you will all enjoy it.

I have tried to include the perspectives of various people in this chapter and by doing that, I hope you will get a bit more insight into their character.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter twenty-seven as soon as I can, preferably next week on Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	27. The Hogsmeade Weekend

**Chapter 27-The Hogsmeade Weekend**

 **Author's note:**

From the books, we know that Igor Karkaroff was killed by death eaters before the start of Harry's sixth year but for the sake of my plot, Karkaroff is still alive, and he is still the headmaster of Durmstrang Institute.

Oblansk is the real name of the Bulgarian minister of magic-he was mentioned in Harry Potter and the goblet of fire.

Babajie Akingbade is also the actual name of the Supreme Mugwump who replaced Dumbledore due to the debacle in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Historically, the Russian KGB (Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti) broke up in 1991, but for this story, it is still in existence.

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Apart from the minister of magic, people who worked in the department of International magical cooperation and several of the highest-ranking ministry officials, everyone else thought that it was business as usual at the England ministry of magic, but nothing could be further from the truth. In a magically enlarged room on the fifth floor of the ministry of magic, five hundred and seventy-nine representatives of one hundred and ninety-three countries, and one scribe; sat in uncomfortable silence as they stared at what appeared to be a divination orb that had been placed in the middle of the room.

Loosely, the orb could be called a divination orb, but it was unlike any of the orbs that Trelawney used in her divination class. Instead of showing the future, this particular orb showed the location of particularly strong magic. As the five hundred and eighty people watched, the orb shimmered, and above it, a world map appeared. Not a second later, a golden light emerged from the orb and settled on England. None of the people moved to speak until the map, and the shimmer of the orb disappeared.

'It is like I wrote in the summons.' Babajie Akingbade, the Supreme Mugwump that replaced Dumbledore the previous year intoned. 'Strong world changing magic is gathering in England, and it will soon reach its peak.' He continued and chanced a furtive glance at Dumbledore who was sitting next to minister Cornelius Fudge and Percy Weasley who had been moved back to the department of International magical cooperation as the new head.

When Voldemort had made his appearance at the ministry the previous year, the ministry and Percy had had no choice but to accept that the dark lord was back and since then, they had been doing everything possible to aid the Order of Phoenix. Percy had repaired his relationship with his family and maybe to gain more favour with the Order, Fudge had promoted Percy from junior undersecretary to the minister; to head of the International magical cooperation department.

'Well, England is heading to war. It is not a surprise that such strong magic would be gathering in England.' Cornelius Fudge said, and several of those gathered gave him a look that was akin to disgust. England had been heading to war for years now, and yet the orb had not shown any sign of activity until a few months ago. Most didn't think this had anything to do with Voldemort.

Dumbledore who knew more than most thought that it had everything to do with Harry Potter, but he was not about to divulge any of what he knew to any of the wizards in the room. His decision went against the spirit of the confederation, but this was not a normal issue. He doubted that any of the others would say anything if they knew what he knew about someone under their control.

'What are your thoughts on this headmaster Dumbledore?' Babajie Akingbade asked the professor.

'Well, nothing like this happened even at the peak of the war with Grindelwald or at the height of Voldemort's power sixteen years ago.' Dumbledore said hoping to divert everyone's attention from the war or the people participating in the war. He could see that his statement had had the intended impact because most of the delegates were nodding their heads in agreement.

'Dumblydorr 'as a point.' Madame Maxime supported in slightly broken English. 'There 'as been many wars in the past centuries and not one time 'as the orb reacted.'

'The last time that the orb reacted was when the Flamels created the sorcerer's stone almost six hundred years ago.' One of the US delegates added. 'Even then, the orb only glowed bronze.'

'...before that was when Hogwarts was founded a millennium ago and it only shone silver.' Dumbledore continued plunging the room into silence.

No one knew who had created the orb or how long ago it had been created; the only thing known was that it had always been there and had always been accurate. After studying the trends of events, it had been discovered that the orb glowed bronze when very strong magic likely to affect an individual and their close connections would appear. It shone silver when such magic would affect an entire region like Hogwarts had affected England, and it glowed gold when the magic would influence the whole world.

'You have forgotten another instance, my good man.' One of Australia's representatives commented. 'The Orb did glow gold right before the Muggle black plague.'

That particular phenomenon had been the cause of many debates because the black death had not affected wizards as much as it had muggles. However, the fact that the orb had glowed gold could not be refuted. Some scholars and unspeakables speculated that the wizarding community would yet feel the effect of the black death but it was almost seven hundred years later, and nothing had come of it. Whatever world changing magic had gathered back then was either still dormant, or the orb had malfunctioned for whatever reason. The generally accepted consensus was that something had caused the orb to make an erroneous divination, so people rarely referenced that instance.

'That mystery aside, I think it is too early to dismiss the possibility that this prediction has something to do with the war in England.' A heavily accented voice said, and Dumbledore turned narrowed eyes to the Bulgarian minister of magic who had a look of amusement on his face. He had noticed that Dumbledore was trying to divert the meeting from the war and that observation made his thoughts even more plausible.

'Why do you say that minister Oblansk?' Babajie asked the man, and everyone turned their eyes to the Bulgarian minister.

'As a matter of fact, I believe this phenomenon could be connected to Harry Potter.' The man said, and Dumbledore had to swallow his trepidation.

'How so?' The Russian general who had attended the meeting in place of his ailing minister asked. His eyes and mind so trained in warfare could detect undercurrents that were as yet unclear to him, and he did not like it.

'I met young Harry Potter at the Quidditch world cup almost two years ago. While the boy was only marginally stronger compared to other children of his age, he had the vastest and most concentrated magic reserve I have ever encountered in my life.' He finished that by glancing at Dumbledore and most others did the same.

Dumbledore wanted to curse his bad luck. The Bulgarian wizarding community was predominantly pureblood, and most of them had more than a little creature blood in their lineages. It would just be his luck that Harry had met one who could detect his magic even before it awoke. Dumbledore had known that Harry would become a very powerful wizard, but it was not until they began training in the past month that he realised that Harry would become uncommonly so.

'I had Igor observe the boy during the Triwizard tournament...'at this, everyone turned to look at Karkaroff who sat next to his minister and when he nodded in acceptance of the words said, attention shifted back to Oblansk. 'He saw and felt the same things that I did. Harry Potter is unlike any other wizard alive today.'

'You must know that Harry Potter is an elemental wizard.' Percy spoke for the first time, and by the lack of surprise on anyone's face, he figured that the news had reached everyone in the room. Although none of the countries had moved to interfere in the war happening in England, all of them had kept a close eye just in case the chaos spilled over to their own territories. 'Is it possible that minister Oblansk sensed this potential?'

'I don't believe so.' The man said and gave an unmistakable smirk to Dumbledore.

''ow can you say so?' Madame Maxime asked, her voice full of suspicion. She knew that it was not the Krum boy's fault that he had been forced to crucio Diggory during the tournament but all in all, she blamed the Bulgaria ministry of magic for allowing their children to be taught such spells at Durmstrang. 'After all, there 'as not been an elemental wizard in centuries.'

It was not as easy a question to answer as one would expect. It was instinct really. It was what muggles would refer to as epigenetic memory because Oblansk had the distinct impression that elemental wizards were very powerful, but not as powerful as Harry Potter would prove to be. It was likely that one of his ancestors had met an elemental wizard and that information had been passed down as instinct over the generations. The Bulgaria minister could not explain that to the expectant faces looking at him, so he sneered instead before he spoke.

'It is impolite to ask others to reveal their magical heritage.' He said and watched the faces become very distrustful. 'What I can say is that Harry Potter is more than a mere elemental wizard.'

They all let the word 'mere' slide. Only an insane person would consider someone who could manipulate an element with a wave of his hand 'mere'. It had not been revealed what type of elemental wizard Harry Potter was, but whichever type he was, he could no longer be considered 'mere'.

'Even if what you say is true; it is hard to imagine that the actions of a single person will have such a profound effect on the world.' The US minister of magic spoke. What he said was true. Harry Potter's main role in this world was to defeat Voldemort. While the dark lord was only a problem in England at the moment, the world would come together to smite him down if he somehow conquered England and expanded his vile campaign to other parts of the world. The US minister could not see a scenario where Harry Potter's influence spread so much that it had an effect on the whole world.

'It would be arrogant of us to think we know what the future holds.' The Supreme Mugwump cautioned. He was also finding it hard to believe that Harry Potter had the power to influence the world that way but stranger things have happened, and it's always best to be prepared. 'After all, the Orb glowed gold at the birth of Merlin.'

Most of those gathered seemed offended that Babajie had likened Harry Potter to the man who had done more for the magical world than any person before and after him. Dumbledore, on the other hand, felt a chill of trepidation climb his spine.

Usually, an elemental wizard can control only one element, but Merlin had been different. The wizard had been able to wield and control all elements, and if Dumbledore was not wrong and he rarely was when it came to such matters, Harry was shaping up to be someone who could do the same. Harry Potter was an all elemental wizard, and Dumbledore had no intention of letting anyone find that out until the time was right.

'Before deciding that Harry Potter is the next coming of Merlin...'The US minister sneered in distaste at the sacrilege before he continued. 'Shouldn't we think about the one person that is already influencing the world while managing to keep their identity hidden?'

'Yes.' It was not typical for the Russians and Americans to be in agreement on anything but this time, they seemed to be on the same page much to the surprise of everyone else. 'We would be remiss if we did not consider Dragon World as the reason for the orb glowing gold.' One of the Russian delegates cautioned. Contrary to popular belief, the Russians are also capable of recognising power that is not military in nature.

Many of Dragon Worlds' products had made their way to most countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia and no one could deny the significance of some of those products. The lycanthropy potion, in particular, was probably one of the most significant inventions in wizarding history.

There was a thoughtful silence as everyone contemplated all that had been said. The only thing that was forthright at the moment was that whatever would cause the world class magical phenomenon was in England, but the representatives could not pinpoint the exact nature of the magic. They also could not dismiss the possibility that Voldemort had gained power that was unknown to them or that someone else had come across something that was capable of affecting the world as a whole. It was all a big jumble of messy possibilities.

'Do you know who the owner of Dragon World is?' Akingbade directed this question to the England team, and the three shook their heads in negation.

The frown that Dumbledore had been wearing expanded on his face as the frustration he felt over his impotence in discovering this information surfaced. Bill, Severus, and Remus were no use and every time he had thought to get the information from any of their minds; the legillimency spell had thwarted him. After Ron had mentioned that Draco Malfoy might know the person, Dumbledore had privately followed up on that lead. He had found out that the young Malfoy's lawyer; Marina Vaughn Clarke, also handled Dragon World's business for the owner, but he found nothing else that would point him in the right direction.

Albus Dumbledore did not believe in coincidences unless they were of one's making and because of this philosophy, he had briefly considered that Malfoy was the true owner of Dragon World. After all, Draco was Latin for 'dragon', the store's opening had been too coincidental for it to be unrelated, the boy's financial independence was another clue, and the most glaring of all evidence was that Malfoy had been using Dragon World's spells even before their official release.

Dumbledore had gone on a frenzy and demanded a copy of every test and report that Malfoy had ever submitted. Even though the professors hadn't appreciated the extra work, the copies had been compiled, and after days of reading, Dumbledore had allowed himself to relax a bit because Malfoy could only be classified as smart but not a genius.

Unlike Ron who did not have the resources to conduct a thorough investigation of his suspicions, Dumbledore had directed his considerable assets into finding out how Malfoy came into his money just to be sure he was not the owner of Dragon World. Towards the end of last week, he had found out that Malfoy had inherited an estate and a small fortune from a great aunt. Upon finding that out, Dumbledore had allowed himself to relax fully. He would not know until much later that Marina Vaughn Clarke and the Goblins had set up those accounts to throw off anyone checking up on Draco Malfoy with relation to Dragon World.

That said, Dumbledore was sure that Malfoy had some sort of relationship with the owner of Dragon World, but no matter what he did, he could not figure out what it was. He had not wanted to wait until Harry found out something so he had attempted to make contact with the solicitor, the Longbottoms, and Arwin of the Arwin Institute but no one was talking, and all were using the legillimency spell. To say that Dumbledore was frustrated would be an understatement. He only had one more play to make, and he was almost sure that it would lead nowhere.

'We have done all we can to try and figure out the identity of the owner, but there has been no progress.' He said bitterly. 'We have only found out that Dragon World is incorporated and banks with the Swiss branch of Gringotts.' Dumbledore's statement was loaded, and all the delegates turned as one to look at the Switzerland representatives.

'If you are suggesting what I think you are, I am afraid that there is nothing we can do.' The Swiss minister of magic said with a frown on his aged face. 'We cannot interfere with the running of Gringotts, and the laws of the country are very strict when it comes to the privacy of banking clients. The goblins take that very seriously.'

Dumbledore had expected that answer and so did most of the others if their reaction was anything to go by. Although they very much wanted to find out who owned Dragon world, they could not risk another Goblin rebellion at such an inopportune time by interfering in their dealings.

'As it stands, we completely lack information to make any definitive decisions or plans, so I welcome suggestions on the way forward.' Babajie Akingbade said, and the room fell into another silence. The representatives of each country could be seen whispering amongst themselves, and it was the US that came up with the first suggestion.

'This matter has the potential of affecting the entire world.' The US minister paused to allow the others to agree with him and when everyone had nodded in agreement, he continued. 'I find it imperative that we place observers in England to ensure that we are not caught by surprise when things come to a head.' More nods could be seen at the suggestion.

'If I am not mistaken, Harry Potter will turn seventeen this coming summer.' The Bulgarian minister added. 'Seventeen is a magical age, and many of our children gain their inheritance at that age. It is a possibility that Harry Potter will fully come into his magic then.'

 _Damned Bulgarians!_ Dumbledore cursed in his mind. The reasoning was sound and Dumbledore himself had come to the same conclusion. Harry would fully come into his elemental magic when he turned seventeen, and Draco Malfoy as his mate would serve to ground him so that his power wouldn't overwhelm him. 'I think it's prudent that we place people within Hogwarts to monitor him as he approaches his birthday.'

'Wait a minute...,' Cornelius barked, and Dumbledore could see that the man was barely managing to keep his seat. 'I will not have strange people roaming the halls where our children live.'

Dumbledore chose to ignore the fact that Fudge had allowed Dolores Umbridge into the school and instead, silently celebrated that the minister had taken such a strong stance against Oblansk's suggestion.

'What about transfer students?' One of Russia's representatives inquired. Like their Muggle counterpart, the Russian ministry of magic had an equivalent of the KGB, and no matter what decision was made here today, Russian spies would make their way into Hogwarts. It simply would not do to be caught unawares.

'It is the middle of the school year.' Dumbledore said desperately. 'Also, England is at war. I doubt that any parent would be willing to let their children transfer to Hogwarts right now.'

Dumbledore had raised a valid point, but they all knew that the matters at hand could not be left to England alone. While the Orb was incomparable when it came to predicting strong magic that would affect the magical world, it did not show whether the magic would be positive or negative. Voldemort was vile, no doubt about that; but as vile as he was, his vileness had not been enough to warrant a shimmer of the orb in the first war. If the gathering magic was negative, then it only made sense for all the countries to keep tabs on the situation so that they can all take appropriate actions for their own survival.

'I agree that there is a need for monitoring of the situation.' Babajie concurred. 'England already has its hands full with the Voldemort situation, and cannot be counted on to deal with both of these situations at the same time.'

The England representatives wanted to argue, but the look on the Supreme Mugwumps face said that arguing would not produce another result. For the thousandth time, Dumbledore cursed the chain of events that had led to his removal as the Supreme Mugwump. From his seat next to him, he could tell that Fudge was regretting his role in that particular outcome.

Percy's only objection was because Harry would be the person being monitored. Weirdly, Percy had developed some respect and a tentative friendship with the boy who lived and he hated that this would happen to him.

'However, it would not be practical to send a representative of every country to Hogwarts.' Babajie continued. 'We need a system to determine who will go on behalf of the entire confederation.'

'Wait a minute...'Fudge started again but was silenced by a narrowed glance.

'Those who are chosen will report to the confederation.' This time, the Supreme Mugwump sent warning looks at Russia, the US, China, and some of the countries that seemed severely put off by the declaration. 'No one country can be allowed to take control of the situation for their own profit or to the detriment of others. Until the situation becomes more clear, the confederation will act as a united front. Any country that acts otherwise will face the full force of the Confederation army.'

That warning silenced the dissenting voices that had still been muttering their discontent amongst their fellows. The Confederation army was made up of elite Aurors from each country in the coalition, and even Russia with its large military of Aurors could not hope to beat it.

'What of after the situation becomes clear?' The Kenyan representative asked noting the loophole in what Babajie had said.

'We will hold a meeting then and make a decision based on the findings.' Babajie said. He was cautious not to commit himself and others to a decision whose implications were not fully understood. The other representatives seemed satisfied with that decision.

'What if elite students from all eleven magical schools are sent to Hogwarts?' The Japanese minister of magic suggested. She had not spoken since the meeting started; instead, she had observed. It was only natural that each country would have their own agenda coming into this meeting, but what she realised was that the agendas ran deeper than what was natural. Of everyone, she decided that Dumbledore was the one everyone needed to be most wary of.

'I believe that would work.' Dumbledore said, much to the surprise of Percy, Fudge, and most of the other delegates. Some like the Japanese had already realised that the old man was more cunning than anyone had ever given him credit for.

On his part, Dumbledore had decided that this was not an insurmountable obstacle. Harry had the invisibility cloak and the marauders map, if anyone could move around Hogwarts without being detected, it would be him. Dumbledore just had to make sure that Harry knew how to conceal his magic before the observers arrived at Hogwarts, and everything would continue as planned. _Yes, this was not an insurmountable problem._

'What is to stop the chosen students from reporting to their home countries first?' The Argentian minister asked.

'I would suggest that the students be bound.' Percy suggested, and when he saw that he had all their attention, he began his suggestion from the beginning. 'Assuming that forty-four children are chosen from all the magical schools including Hogwarts-one for each Hogwart's house. We could contractually bind them to write the information they gather on special parchments that will be given to them. The information written down by all the students will appear on secondary parchments that will be given to each person here including the scribe for recording purposes. The students' parchments will be soaked in a special infusion of veritaserum so that they will not be able to omit or relay fabrications when they write on said papers.'

If Dumbledore had not known that Percy was an incredibly gifted young man, he would have been as surprised by the simplicity and brilliance of the plan like the other people in the room. To be truthful, Percy Weasley was dull. He had no flair and his personality was not as commanding as he imagined it was, but once in awhile like now, he commanded all the right attention.

'I believe we have found our solution.' The Supreme Mugwump said with a smile to Percy; causing the young man to flush at the acknowledgement. 'I think that it would be acceptable to leave the choice of students to the respective heads of school, yes?' No one raised any objections, and Babajie saw that as a cue to proceed.

'If the situation were any other, we would have been able to wait until the beginning of the next school year but unfortunately, time is not on our side.' The man said. 'Headmaster Dumbledore, will it be possible to take in forty students after Easter holidays?'

Russia and the US clearly didn't like that they had to wait for a few more weeks, but there was no way around it. There was much to be done before the students were ready to be sent off to Hogwarts.

'I believe it is possible.' Dumbledore agreed grudgingly. 'I will put my staff on alert the moment I get back.' He received a nod at that.

'Are there any other issues left unaddressed?'

There were none, and everyone was too tired to formulate more problems. The meeting had gone on for long, and none of them had taken a bathroom or lunch break. All of them just wanted to tie things up and take the international floo in time for whatever meal happened at that hour in their countries. It was almost dinner time at Hogwarts.

'If there is nothing else, I would like to declare this meeting at a close.' Babajie said, much to the relief of everyone. 'I will work with Mr Weasley to prepare the parchments, and we will meet again at the beginning of Easter to bind the students and hand out the parchments. I trust that the headmasters will provide adequate reasons to their students and parents for the sudden exchange program.' There was all around agreement as they all stood up.

With a series of wand movements by Fudge, the wards of the ministry of magic lowered for the second time that day to allow the foreign delegates to apparate away. The wards came back up a minute later, and Fudge slumped back on his seat in exhaustion.

'I will be heading back to Hogwarts now.' Dumbledore said and left the room, closely followed by Percy.

On his part, Fudge wondered when he had lost control of everything or if he ever had control, to begin with. He was the minister of magic, but Dumbledore was the real power. He was the one people listened to, and for the first time, Cornelius Fudge wished he could abdicate his seat. The only reason he did not do that was because he despised the thought of leaving a pitiful legacy behind, and that was what would happen if he left at this juncture. For now, all he had to do was listen to what Dumbledore advised, and all would be well.

With that, Cornelius sighed and dragged his weary body out of the chair and to his office for another long night of work.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 ** _While Dumbledore was at the ministry…_**

'You seem cheerful Harry.' Ginny commented as she looped her arm through Harry's as they began their trek towards Hogsmeade. She was right; Harry was cheerful. Weird as it may sound, finding out that Ginny was cheating was one of the best things that had happened to him in months. It meant that he could be happy with Draco without feeling the guilt that had previously accompanied that happiness.

What he had felt for Ginny was different from the desperate crush he had had on Cho two years ago, and that had made Harry believe that she was the one for him. He couldn't have been more wrong! He had never marvelled at the sound of her laughter like he did with Draco, nor had he ever wished he could spend every minute of his time with her like he now did with Draco. Draco was invigorating in a way he had never encountered before, and while Harry knew that he would never be able to let him go, he was also finding it hard to let go of Ginny.

It's not like he still had any lingering feelings for Ginny, but he was afraid of what would happen if he broke up with her. Would Hermione and Ron still be his friends? What about the rest of the Weasley family? The Order? There was a lot to lose from breaking up with Ginny, and Harry was not yet prepared to face the consequences.

To themselves, Harry and Draco admitted that the kiss a few days ago had somehow broken the wall between them, but it was too early to define what was growing where the wall had been. Harry found himself ditching his friends more often so that he could spend time talking, reading, arguing, making out, and even following Draco in an attempt to find out what the boy was hiding. Every night, he would follow him to the room of requirement and come back in three hours just in time to catch Draco re-emerging from the room. It had become a routine, and after the first two nights, Harry had the distinct impression that Draco knew he was being followed. However, since the blonde didn't seem to mind it, Harry continued to make the pointless trips even though he knew he would not be able to find out anything in this way.

On his part, Draco understood Harry's plight. It was not all he was, but Harry was the boy who lived. He had a responsibility to rid the world of Voldemort, and he had to pursue every advantage he could get at this juncture. Draco understood all that, but he could not allow himself and Dragon World to be part of the light, so he pretended that he did not know Harry was following him and just enjoyed the silent company to and from the room of requirement. He had discovered that house-elves could apparate a person within Hogwarts so Biddy had been apparating him from the room of requirements; to the base at the owlery and back after three hours of work each evening. He knew that Harry suspected that there was more to his visits to the seventh floor; but for now, they were both enjoying the cat and mouse game too much to allow serious suspicions to come between them.

Shaking the urge to snatch his arm away from his supposed girlfriend, Harry sighed and answered her observation.

'I am.' He said. She also seemed cheerful, but Harry doubted it was for the same reason. 'It's been awhile since I left the castle. I hadn't realised that I had missed Hogsmeade this much.'

In the last few days, lying to Ginny had become easier and the guilt that had always accompanied it was nowhere to be found. It's like her actions had given him permission to do and say whatever he wanted without feeling as if he was betraying her in some way. However, he was not lying about this. After months of being cooped up in the castle, this trip to Hogsmeade felt like his first time back in third year.

She laughed coyly and squeezed closer to his side causing Harry to discretely roll his eyes because she would be practically walking on his toes if she moved any closer. 'I am glad that you are enjoying yourself.' She finally said.

'Where should we go first?' He asked when he saw Ron and Hermione waiting for them at the junction of the main road and the road they were on. This was his first Hogsmeade visit with Ginny as a couple and Harry had no clue what was expected of him. Usually, he and his friends would go to the village proper for some shopping and then head to The Three Broomsticks for lunch and butterbeer.

'Jeannette's robes' shop for the fashionable witch and wizard.' Ginny answered with a blush, and Harry almost lifted his brow in question of this odd behaviour. 'We should buy some decent robes if we are to go to dinner at Antoine's later. They have a very selective clientele.'

'Let's go then.' Harry said, opting not to comment on her statement.

'Where are you guys going?' He asked his two friends when they joined them at the junction.

Ron turned red, and Harry wondered what that was about because he didn't think he had said anything out of the ordinary. 'Eeer…, er….'

'We will go with you to Jeannette's Harry; we also need some robes.' Hermione's tone was challenging; as if she expected Harry to say something about the situation but he felt no need to. Instead, he nodded and wondered what was wrong with the clothes at Gladrags.

The robe shop was next to the post office and directly opposite Honeydukes, so the group of four did not have to walk for long from their position at the junction. They were greeted by an assistant the moment they walked into the shop, and she rushed to call Jeannette herself to attend to the distinguished client.

 _Elegant!_ Is what Harry thought the moment he saw Madame Jeannette. She was taller than the average woman, and her posture made her seem even taller and straighter than she was. She had her hair tied back in a tight bun that did not make her face appear pinched as McGonagall's did. Her clothes were understated but with the sort of sophistication that one would expect from the noblest of ladies. She could not be called beautiful by any definition of the word, but all in all, she was impressive, and she was clearly not impressed with the group that had come into her shop if the look on her face was anything to go by. They had all worn their best clothes for the trip, but they all looked like rags to the eyes of the dressmaker.

'The entire package then?' She asked, and Harry could barely hide his amusement at the distaste on the woman's face. She somehow reminded him of an affronted Draco when someone did something particularly nasty in front of him. It was the look he wore every time he glanced at the Gryffindor table only to find Ron talking with his mouth full. Disgusting habit, that was!

Harry had no idea what the full package was, but he thought that this shopping trip could turn out more fun than he had originally thought, so he nodded his head in acceptance. The regal lady also nodded her head, and a tape measure appeared in her hand.

'On the pedestal Mr Potter.' The lady commanded, and Harry did not need to be told twice. He had a feeling that she was used to ordering people around and he simply found no need to be difficult about her tone. The moment he stepped on the block she had indicated, her tape measure slithered under his clothes, running around his body and before he could pull himself from the shock to complain, the tape was back in her hands, and a slip of parchment containing his measurements lay on a work table beside them.

'Now to choose some fabrics.' she said, and on cue, three assistants appeared with rolls of fabric in reds and golds; no doubt an allusion to his Hogwarts house but Madame Jeannette sneered at the choices causing the assistants to still their progress.

'Return those quickly.' She said urgently as if afraid someone would notice the disastrous choices and blame it on her, 'they are horrible for Mr Potter's complexion, and they simply do not go with anything Mr Malfoy owns.'

'Excuse me?' Harry asked in confusion and some amusement. 'What has Malfoy got to do with anything?'

'Mr Malfoy is a valued customer, and I would hate to embarrass him by having you stand next to each other with horribly uncoordinated robes.' Madame Jeannette said the first part with pride and the next with the sort of tone that suggested she would rather die than cause embarrassment to any of her customers.

'I see.' Harry nodded sagely and watched with growing amusement at Ginny's flustered face. 'He would certainly never let any of us hear the end of it if that was to happen.' Jeannette nodded in acceptance of Harry's words and spared him a small smile of understanding.

The Madame seemed to fall into her thoughts for a moment; as if trying to decide something and Harry waited patiently for her to speak whatever was on her mind.

'I have come into some silver spider silk which I know would be perfect for Mr Malfoy. In fact, I was getting ready to send him a note informing him of the fabric when you walked into the shop.' She said and motioned for one of her assistants to get the mentioned material. 'It's quite rare, and even I had some difficulty finding some.'

Harry had never had any interest in fabrics and fashion, but he couldn't help being curious of the fabric that the Madame spoke so reverently of. It took a few minutes for the assistant to get back with the fabric and Harry gasped in awe the moment he laid eyes on it. As the name suggested, it was a shimmering silver, but unlike any silver, Harry had ever laid eyes on. Looking at it, Harry thought that it looked exactly how the moon would look if it was spun into fabric. It was beautiful for lack of a better descriptor.

'It's gorgeous.' Ginny said in awe as she came forth to touch it.

'Yes, it is.' Jeannette agreed. 'It's most precious, this silk is! It's woven by a species of silk spiders that are only found in Peru. This quality can only be woven on the first full moon of the year; I have only just managed to get this one.'

'Can I have it, Harry?' Ginny asked eagerly, her eyes pleading with Harry.

'The fabric is not for sale.' Jeannette said harshly, and the assistant who had brought it whisked it away as if afraid the whimpering red-head would steal it.

'…..but you just said that you were going to send a note to Malfoy to inform him that you had it?' Ginny whined. 'First come, first served.'

Jeannette harrumphed at the girl's words, and her nose rose higher in the air before she spoke. 'My business is to anticipate what my clients want before they even want it, and I know for sure that Mr Malfoy will want the silver spider silk. Because I know that he will want it, I can offer it to no one else before he sees it.'

'That is certainly not fair.' Hermione said from where she sat, and Harry felt a SPEW argument coming on, but he didn't think Jeannette could be moved. 'Malfoy has not even seen it yet.'

'Young lady, how many robes do you buy in a year?' An assistant asked unexpectedly.

'Three to five robes.' Hermione answered. Ginny answered the same, but Harry knew she was lying.

'Then, that cannot be worth losing Mr Malfoy's business.' The assistant said in a tone that suggested the conversation was over and the girls should just accept what was.

'Out of curiosity, how many robes does he buy?' Harry asked.

'Mr Malfoy changes his wardrobe every season, so he buys more than one hundred robes each year.' Harry's mouth dropped open in shock.

'Who in the world needs so many clothes?' He asked. He didn't even think the cumulative number of clothes he had owned in his life would reach one hundred much less a single year's worth of clothing. 'No wonder his clothes keep encroaching on my wardrobe space.'

'He is quite meticulous about his appearance.' Jeannette said with a fond smile.

Ron snorted. 'He is a ponce, that's what he is.'

Jeannette glared but ignored the redhead in favour of speaking to Harry.

'Mr Potter, I believe emerald robes, dark reds, and dark navies would look quite fetching on you.' The assistants appeared instantly with fabrics of the mentioned colours, and began draping them one by one over his shoulder and Harry had to agree with the dressmaker's judgement. 'For the cuts…'

Seeing the beginning of a speech about something Harry had no knowledge of and of which he had no intention of learning, Harry promptly interrupted her before she could get started.

'I will leave that to your wise judgement.' He said, and she nodded with a pleased look on her face. He had no idea what he had expected before coming into the shop, but it was not choosing close to twenty fabrics which the Madame insisted that he simply must have. While it was not the most fun way to spend his time, he enjoyed himself. Harry had never chosen any of the clothes he wore, and he found that doing it for the first time brought him a satisfaction he had not imagined possible. In the end, he chose fabrics and even ordered jackets, trousers, socks, underwear, shirts, and shoes from the extensive catalogue Jeannette kept in the shop.

'You will need something to wear out; the rest will be delivered to Hogwarts.' Jeannette said when Harry had finished making all the choices he was required to.

After he nodded his head in acceptance, she heralded him to a changing room and began shoving ready-made robes at him. It took almost a half hour before she declared him satisfactory enough to be seen leaving her shop. When he returned to the front of the store, the others had already been cared for by the assistants and Harry could tell that they were unhappy about something. He had no idea what that was, but he decided that whatever it was could wait until they left the shop.

'How much is it?' Harry asked when he saw that everybody was set to leave.

'Five hundred and twelve galleons.' Jeannette answered, and Harry was shocked that clothes could be so costly. He had noticed that everything was priced below two galleons at Gladrags when he went to buy socks for Dobby in their fourth year, and he thought that it would only be slightly more expensive at Jeannette's. Either way, it didn't matter. His parents had left him enough to be able to afford this, many times over.

'Including Malfoy's spider thing?' He asked as he reached for his money bag.

'No, that will be put on Mr Malfoy's tab.' She said.

'Charge it together with our things.' Harry said and almost instantly, an angry buzzing of hushed chatter began where he knew his friends were standing. He could feel sharp eyes on his back, but he did not let himself be cowed into negating his words to Madame Jeannette.

'I will, of course, give you the customer discount on that.' The lady said with a small smile that hinted she was both amused at the situation and impressed at his nerve. 'With that, the total is two thousand, four hundred and twelve galleons.' The buzzing was now no longer a buzzing, and Harry was suddenly afraid to face his friends.

Nevertheless, he pushed on. 'You can draw from my Gringott's vault, right? I fear I don't have that much on me.'

'Yes, just sign here.' She said and proffered an invoice to Harry. Harry's signature would automatically let the Goblins transfer the sum to her vault from his. He made quick work of signing and was about to take his leave when she stopped him.

'May I trouble you to deliver this to Mr Malfoy?' Jeannette asked as she handed Harry a thick portfolio.

'What is it?' He was confused as he took the thick pages.

'They are our new patterns and cuts; he will want to decide how his robes are made.'

'Oh, thank you.' Harry said as he shrunk and pocketed the catalogue.

'Good day Mr Potter.'

Harry was not sure, but he thought he heard amusement and sympathy in her voice. It would be a long day for him, and he wished he could hide in the shop rather than go out there to face his angry friends.

Bravely, he stepped out of the shop and found his friends and girlfriend waiting for him a few feet from the door. From the glares they sent him, he could tell that they were pretty pissed. Maybe he had pushed it by insisting that he pays for Draco in front of them, but surely that wasn't enough to warrant this much anger, was it?

'How could you do that Harry?' Hermione asked the moment he was within hearing distance. Somehow, he was not surprised that she was the first to confront him and he sighed, resigning himself to a lecture.

'Do what?' He asked although he knew what she meant.

'Humiliate us, especially Ginny.'

'What are you talking about?' This was not the chastisement he had been expecting, and her words threw him off.

'Ginny wanted that silver spider silk.' Hermione said, her voice full of accusation.

'…but it was already reserved for Malfoy.' Harry stated what he thought was obvious.

'You should have fought for it.' Ginny snapped angrily.

'What? You expected me to fight over fabric with a shop owner? Why?' This was not making sense to him.

'...because I had my heart set on it and you should have done everything within your powers to let me have it.'

'Again Ginny, it was already Malfoy's. What the hell did you want me to do?'

'Show that dressmaker snob that you can be as good a customer as Malfoy, that's what!' Ron weighed in.

'You wanted me to buy one hundred robes just to show that I can?' Harry asked, a disgusted look on his face. Their entire thought process was eluding him, and he seriously doubted that Ginny had had the time to 'set her heart on it' given how fast the fabric had been taken from their view.

'What about when she asked her assistants to take care of us? You should have stood up for us.' Ginny argued, confusing Harry even further.

'Surely it was faster if we all got taken care of by different people so that we can move on to something else, right?' He asked patiently, begging them to start making sense any minute now.

'Well, that's true, but she was just snubbing us by not attending to us personally.' Hermione said, and although Harry guessed that she was probably right, he didn't see what the big deal was.

Harry could feel a headache coming on. A few months ago, he probably could have done what they were suggesting just to spite Malfoy, but things had changed. He had changed, and if he were honest, he wanted to see Draco in that silk. For a moment, he allowed himself to picture how the silk would look on Draco and caught himself just in time to prevent an embarrassing hard on in the middle of the street.

Although Harry could see that his friends wanted to argue some more, he found that he did not have the patience for it. Like he had begun doing more recently, he decided to direct their attentions to something else to distract them from the current situation. In a moment of inspiration, he suggested they head to the jeweller where he shelled out more galleons for a gold and ruby bracelet for Ginny, hair tie for Ron and a hair clip for Hermione. He did not dare buy anything for Draco when he was already in front of a firing squad.

When they left the shop, Hermione kept throwing him looks, and he supposed she wanted to know why he had not bought a promise ring or something, but even he could not bring himself to do that. He had no qualms whatsoever about misleading Ginny until he figured out how to end things without losing everything but a ring was beyond what he was comfortable giving. He had already bought unwanted rings before, and he wanted the next time he bought them to be special, so he dismissed Hermione's pointed looks with an unapologetic shrug.

Clothes shopping and the jewellery had taken longer than expected and the group of four barely had time to pick up a few things from Honeydukes and Scrivenshaft's before they had to start heading to the restaurant for dinner.

Antoine's was located at the far end of Hogsmeade; opposite Madam Puddifoot's tea shop and the walk to the place was filled with excited prattle from Ginny, disappointed looks from Hermione, and almost concealed anger from Ron.

It was the last that concerned Harry because as far as he knew, Ron was quick to anger and he was never afraid to let it out on the unfortunate individual who caused it. The fact that Ron was attempting to hide that he was angry at Harry for the fiasco at Madame Jeannette's made Harry wonder just how much he knew about his best friend. It could be that Ron was not as simple as everyone thought he was but Harry had no time to dwell on it because they arrived at a building that he assumed was Antoine's.

Ginny was right, even from the outside, the restaurant was posh and more a place that Draco would choose to eat than he would. At the strike of the hour, a host directed them to the seats that Hermione had reserved and Harry was grateful that they had changed because they would not have been allowed in in their regular clothes. As it was, they still seemed a bit underdressed compared to the rest of the diners.

Deciding to try and enjoy himself despite his current company, Harry picked up his menu and almost groaned in frustration. The foods were listed in French, and although he could somewhat guess what some of them were, it was not enough to help him chose something he was likely to like.

'I will order for us.' Hermione said, and she could not completely hide the superior look in her eyes when she looked at her dining companions. It was enough to make Harry want to cast a translation charm on himself, but he decided to let it go. Instead, he allowed himself to sink into the thoughts that had been playing on the surface of his mind for the last few days and more so, in the last few hours.

Harry knew for a fact that something had gone wrong with all his relationships. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Dumbledore, the Weasleys, and even the Order but he couldn't pinpoint what the problem was.

He used to love spending his money on his friends because he had no one else to spend it on, but now, it was a tool to distract them from everything else happening in his life. This confused him because it made him realise that true friends should not have been distracted that easily but yet his friends were. Did it mean that their friendship wasn't as solid as he had always thought? A few days back, he had thought that their actions seemed calculated and deliberate, but now, he knew his own actions were also calculated and deliberate when he dealt with them.

The change in his relationship with Draco shouldn't have been able to change things this much. They had been friends for a long time, and before things became this bad, they should have been able to talk things through. However, Harry couldn't bring himself to talk to his friends. He couldn't talk to them about the grey faction and his suspicions about Draco without worrying they would tell Dumbledore and the Order. He couldn't tell them about his new feelings for Draco without worrying they would abandon him. In the end, he couldn't even feel bad about lying and misdirecting them as a true friend should feel.

Harry was relieved when dinner was over because the necessity of standing up and leaving the restaurant distracted him from his forlorn and confusing thoughts. For all that they had spent what felt like hours in the restaurant, Harry couldn't say what they had spoken about or what he had eaten although he was sure he had done both. His friends looked more happy and relieved than they had been all day, and he realised that they must not have been able to tell, that his focus had not been with them the entire evening. He must have gotten better at faking without his notice. That his friends had not caught on confirmed what he had thought earlier in the evening; something had gone wrong with his relationships.

'Give me a few minutes; I will be right out.' Harry said to his friends who were already standing to leave and knowing that he was settling the bill, they left. He quickly paid the bill, and as he was about to leave, he noticed the couple sitting next to his table was having dessert, and a sudden thought struck him.

With a quick exchange of galleons, two desserts were placed under a stasis charm and packed away for him to take back to the castle. Harry found his friends waiting for him and cursed that he had not had the insight to hide his package because the three turned curious eyes to it when they saw him.

'What do you have there mate?' Ron asked as they began the walk back to Hogwarts.

'Fondant au Chocolat.' Harry said the name that the waiter had called the dessert that the young couple had been having. 'I thought that it was quite delicious so I bought some to eat at the castle.'

None of the others mentioned that Harry had had a tarte au citron for dessert. In fact, none in their group had had any chocolate based dessert, but there had been a blonde man sitting next to their table who had been eating the Fondant au Chocolat.

That Harry was falling for Malfoy was not a secret to either Ron, Hermione, or Ginny but they had thought that things could still be fixed. This was the first sign of trouble, and they realised that they had to do something before things escalated to the point of no return. When they said good night at the castle entrance, Harry hurried to the East tower while the other three went to the headmaster's office to report.

To be continued...

 **A/N:** Hello everyone. Chapter 27 is finally ready. It's pretty long and has a lot of information, but I still hope that you will all be able to keep everything in mind. The first part of the chapter is a basis for a major plotline, so I hope you will be able to connect the subtle and not so subtle hints I have given with things that will happen in later chapters. Otherwise, I hope that you all enjoyed it.

Also, I would like to hear your thoughts: What do you think the world class magic is? I have already written it, but I think it would be interesting to see if anyone can guess it. You definitely need to think outside the box to figure it out.

We are having elections in my country next week, and I have to travel to my polling station. That part of the country has a bad internet connection so I might not be able to upload but I will do it as soon as I am back to my place on the 14th.

Finally, for the guest that is waiting for Mpreg Draco..., I have not decided whether that will happen or not and even if it is to happen, it is still too early in the story. Try to enjoy the story as it is for now.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter twenty-eight as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	28. My Favourite

**Chapter 28-My Favourite**

When Harry arrived in the East tower, he was surprised to find Draco in the room, and he felt a jolt of pleasure when he saw the other boy's eyes widen when he saw him. Draco had been reading something Harry couldn't make out from his position at the door, and he put it aside in favour of focusing all his attention on Harry.

'You certainly went all out didn't you lover boy.' Draco teased with a smile on his face.

'Jealous Malfoy?' Harry asked as he swaggered towards the blonde.

'I would be if your hair wasn't still a bird's nest.' The Slytherin said as he made a show of checking out his Gryffindor husband. Harry was wearing bottle green robes that were tight on the torso and flayered from the waist down, and Draco could not help but admire the picture he made. Sure, Draco had seen Harry naked many times, but there was something to be said about well-fitting dress robes that hinted at what was beneath the robes. To be truthful, even the birds' nest hair went well with Harry's new image, but Draco wasn't about to tell him that.

'I will put more effort when we go out together.' Harry declared, eliciting another smile from Draco who pat the space next to him on the couch indicating that he wanted Harry to take a seat.

'What do you have there?' Draco asked and eyed the package that Harry held in curiosity.

'I come bearing gifts.' Harry said and handed over the catalogue he had removed from his pocket as he headed up to the tower.

'In as much as I love shopping, the new season doesn't start until April.' The Slytherin said but, nevertheless; took the catalogue and began to thumb through the thick book quickly.

'Madam Jeannette found you some silver spider silk.' Harry informed and Draco snapped his attention back to Harry at the mention of the name and Harry couldn't help but smile. 'Calm down'. He continued when he saw the excited look on Draco's face.

'It was touch and go for a minute there; what with Ginny demanding that she wants it, but I managed to convince Jeannette that she should reserve it for you.'

'She already had it reserved for me didn't she?' Draco asked with a knowing look and a smirk.

'Yes.' Harry smiled. 'A fact that gave me endless grief. At some point, I was expected to buy a hundred robes just to show I could be as good a customer as you, just so the silver spider silk could be sold to us.'

'You could never be as good a customer as me!' Draco laughed, and Harry marvelled at the sound.

'Only because you are a vain git.' Harry pouted. 'It was quite horrible really. First, they were on my case because I did not fight for the spider, and the because I did not fight for Jeannette to serve them personally. It cost me several trinkets and dinner at Antoine's just to show I do not favour my husband over my girlfriend.'

Draco laughed again. 'You seem to have had quite the lovely day.'

Harry rolled his eyes. It was good and awkward to complain about his friends and girlfriend to Draco.

'…and how was your day?' He asked not really expecting an answer from Draco.

'Quite productive.' Draco smiled mysteriously, and Harry knew that nothing more would be said, but that was okay. For a reason he could not fully explain, he wanted to find out what Draco was up to by himself and make the decision on his course of action just the same. Maybe he relished the challenge, or it could be that he was buying himself time to know Draco so that he could make the right decision when he finally came to that point. 'I suppose Madame Jeannette wants me to choose a cut?'

'Yes, she does.' The blonde nodded and put the book aside. There was no rush to choose so he decided to look at the patterns later when he had the time to.

'What's in the other package?' He asked when he noticed that Harry still had what looked like a box placed next to him on the seat.

'This my dear husband is something that the people at Antoine's forced me to take, and I couldn't possibly say no'. Harry handed Draco the package and watched as the boy squealed (not that Draco would ever own up to making such an undignified sound) in delight at the Fondant au Chocolat Harry had brought back.

'I must be sure to patronise that restaurant if they make a habit of going out of their way to place their desserts in stasis and force my favourites onto people.' He had a brilliant smile when he said that, and Harry thought that the entire mess of a day had been worth it for a culmination like this.

'Their food is delicious too.'

'Yes? What did you have?' Harry tried to remember, but he had no idea what he had eaten.

'Treacle tart?' Draco laughed in good humour and leaned in to kiss his bonded's cheek in an uncharacteristic show of affection. Harry flushed in happiness and moved in closer to Draco even though there was barely any space between them, but the blonde didn't seem to mind it.

They transfigured some cutlery and pounced on the cakes which they ate as they talked cheerfully and Harry couldn't help but think that it was a perfect evening to end the horrible day that he had had.

On his part, Draco hadn't had a terrible day, but he had missed Harry. It was happening more and more lately and rather than be alarmed like he would have been weeks prior, he enjoyed the feeling. He enjoyed that things between them had improved to this point where he could miss Harry without feeling like he was setting himself up for heartbreak. Now, he could admit that he missed Harry whenever the other boy was away, and he wasn't even uncomfortable with the fact that he had opted not to hang out with his friends in favour of waiting in the East tower for Harry to come back.

Draco loved spending time with his friends, and he could say that he was genuinely happy whenever he was with them but being with Harry was different. His heart lightened at the sight of the other boy, and his smiles came easier and unrestrained whenever he was in the Gryffindor's company.

Lately, his heart had begun to flutter every time he saw Harry and his stomach to lurch every time he saw him with Ginevra. It was the same feeling he had always had for Harry, but at the same time, it was completely different. This time, rather than the despair that had always accompanied his feelings, he felt free. He felt free to do whatever he wanted and feel however he wanted but he was also cautious. There was just too much between them, and Draco did not know whether Harry would be able to leave the Weaslette or if he could accept him after finding out about everything that had happened in his life.

There was also the fact that Draco couldn't let go of everything that Harry had said and done over the last few months. Draco wanted to not hold those things against Harry, but at the recesses of his mind, he was afraid of bestowing his trust on the Gryffindor. He was scared of being hurt yet again, and that fear was crippling.

Draco was brought back from his thoughts by Harry's question.

'Do you think I have changed Draco?' Harry asked causing Draco to startle. Although they had been using each other's first names in their own minds, this was the first time that either had dared to do so out loud.

At hearing his name on Harry's lips, Draco blushed, and Harry was hard pressed not to act on his instincts that were screaming for him to take the other boy in his arms and snog him senseless.

'Do you feel as if you have?' Draco asked back, breaking the loaded silence that had taken root in the last couple of seconds.

'I feel as if I have become meaner.' Harry answered with a frown on his face, and Draco looked at him without saying a word for a long time before he spoke.

'You haven't changed Harry.' He finally said.

'Then why….

'The world has misunderstood you.' Draco said and seeing that Harry didn't understand; he explained, 'you haven't been twisted by the ugliness of this world, but everyone expects that no one can see as much as you have without changing. I bet all this started at that meeting a while back... when I started the Grey faction...'

Harry thought back and realised that that was exactly when he had begun to become weird.

'At that time, they showed you how the world really is, and you haven't been able to look at it the same way you had before. You are the same person, but you have been able to see more than you are used to.'

'I see.' Harry understood a bit. Until Shacklebolt said what he did in that meeting, Harry had still thought that light meant good. 'When did you first see the ugliness of this world?'

'I never saw anything but the ugliness of this world. Only I thought that that was how the world really was until I was told that regular people don't live like that.' Harry didn't ask for more because a shattered look had come over Draco's face and the raven knew that answers would not be forthcoming. Not wanting the blonde to sink further into the mood that was coming over him, Harry chose to lighten their conversation, but he catalogued what had been said for later perusal.

'What were you reading before I came in?' He asked, and Draco immediately brightened.

'My favourite manga.' He said and passed the volume to Harry so that he could read the title.

'One piece?'

'Yes.' Draco began, and Harry settled back to listen. 'In the world of one piece, there lived a pirate called Gol D. Roger who sailed all the seas and acquired a great treasure known as one piece. Twenty years ago, he was executed. Right before his death, he told the gathered crowd that he had left all his treasure on an island on the most treacherous of seas called the Grand line. This announcement started the great pirate age which has lasted for twenty years, but no one has been able to find the treasure. Gol D. Roger is called the pirate king since he is the only one to ever possess one piece and sail all the seas of the world.' Draco took a pause before he continued.

'The story in itself is about a boy called Monkey D. Luffy who sets out to sea at the age of seventeen to become the pirate king. In this world, there are things called devil fruits which when eaten give the eater special powers but it also makes them weak to sea water, and they become hammers in water.'

'That doesn't sound so good especially since people are sailing all the time.' Harry observed.

'Well, you would think that, but the world of one piece is filled with insanely strong people. Some who can cause earthquakes, rain magma, become ice, become smoke, become light,etc…..it's a tough world where you can barely become a force to be reckoned with, without a devil fruit. However, finding a devil fruit is hard, and it mostly depends on luck or wealth. Luffy himself ate the 'gomu gomu no mi' when he was a child without knowing that it was devil fruit.'

'Gomu gomu no mi?'

'It's a devil fruit that makes his body become rubber.' Harry nodded in understanding. 'Basically, from chapter one, we see him setting out and gaining a crew along the way. All the crew members are strong and also have their own grand goals which can only be achieved by sailing to the treacherous Grand line. As they sail, they encounter and fight other pirates, the world government, and even bounty hunters.'

'World government? Bounty hunters?'

'The world government is a central government made up of over 170 nations, and marines are an organisation under the world government. These two organisations want to end the great pirate age and place bounties on pirates which add in the dimension of bounty hunters. The fights are great, and the story is remarkable and well thought out.'

'You really like it.' Harry commented noticing how Draco's face shone the more he talked about one piece.

'Like I said, it's one of my most favourite things in this world.'

'Then I have to read it.' Harry said, and Draco nodded in approval before going to retrieve volume one of the manga. Instead of going back to his own volume, he leaned against Harry and began reading from his place on Harry's shoulder prompting Harry to inquire into his actions.'What are you doing?'

'I am reading it with you.' Draco replied in a tone that implied he thought his actions should have been obvious.

'….haven't you already read it and weren't you reading a different volume when I came in?'

'Yes and yes, but I have also reread one piece a thousand times, and I plan to reread it a thousand more.' Harry now was truly curious, and he couldn't wait to read.

'You better be prepared, it's pretty long, and it's still ongoing.' Draco warned before they both got back to the book Harry held in front of them.

They didn't stand up from the couch until hours later when they could no longer stand the discomfort of sitting like that.

'You were right, this is great.' Harry said itching to continue. In the story, they were thick in Syrup Village as captain Kuro attacked Usopp's village and only the need to stretch their muscles forced Harry to take a pause from the story.

'I am always right.' Draco said smugly. 'Let's finish the arc in the bedroom and then pick up from there in the morning.'

Harry agreed, and they took several volumes to the bedroom, tomorrow was Sunday after all. It should have been bothersome sharing a book like that, and it was the wizard thing to do to make a copy of the book but Harry wasn't bothered at all, he liked reading with Draco.

It took another two hours until Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp left Syrup Village in their new ship; Going Merry, that Kaya had given them, and Harry and Draco set the volume down. Tired from peeling their eyes so wide, they set the book aside on a bedside table and fell asleep in each other's arms. None voiced it, but they both thought that they could truly get used to living like this. Time together had become a favourite thing.

To be continued….

 **Author's Note:**

Hello, everyone. I am back with chapter twenty-eight albeit a bit later than I had said I would. Elections were disputed, and there was a bit of insecurity and tension so I couldn't go back to my place as early as I had hoped.

Anyway, the chapter is up. It is short but necessary because I wanted our boys to spend some time together. I hope you liked and enjoyed it. Expect a longer chapter next week.

I noticed that I have focused a lot on Harry's emotional point of view, but I haven't really gone into Draco's, so I sought to begin remedying that. I decided to do that by letting Draco share something he likes with Harry, and since we all know Draco loves manga, I chose for him to share his favourite. Just to be clear, this story is not a crossover, and the One Piece detail I gave was only for aesthetic purposes. It was only meant to show Harry how Draco looks like when he likes and is passionate about something.

For those who don't know, One Piece is an original manga and anime by Eiichiro Oda. It started in 1997 and is still ongoing. If you have the time, I strongly recommend it.

That said, I would like to explain a few things.

1\. Zoro, Nami, and Usopp are the crew members that Luffy has gathered up to the point of the story that Harry and Draco have read.

2\. Syrup village is Usopp's hometown.

3\. Kaya is the only daughter of the wealthiest family in the village, and she gave the crew the ship because they saved the town from captain Kuro.

4\. Captain Kuro is a notorious pirate who had been planning to kill Kaya in order to steal her wealth.

That's about it, and if you have more questions, please send me a PM.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter twenty-nine as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	29. Darling

**AN:** This is for my darling friend SarahLuzie, I hope it cheers you up, XX.

 **Chapter 29-Darling**

Usually, Harry would sleep in on Sundays. Have a late breakfast with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny before laying about lazily on the shores of the Black Lake until it was time for lunch followed by afternoon Quidditch practice with the Gryffindor team. It was the ideal way to spend a Sunday, but after spending most of the night reading One Piece with Draco, Harry woke up to find that his schedule was already out of whack.

He had slept longer than usual, and a quick tempus let him know that breakfast was about done in the Great hall. Not wanting to attract undue attention by arriving at the tail end of things, he joined Draco in ordering a breakfast tray from Biddy.

Draco was a light eater in the mornings and Biddy did not bring any of the bacon, eggs, and other fried goods that Harry preferred for breakfast but for some reason, he found himself enjoying the meal more than he normally would. The scones tasted better although he was sure that they were the exact ones that were always served for breakfast. Even the juice tasted fresher, despite being the same as usual and in the end, Harry had to conclude that it was the company that made everything better.

After his first cup of morning coffee, Draco was a great conversationalist. He had a quick wit that Harry had never appreciated before, and he seemed to know everything there was to know about everything. He had an ease of imparting knowledge that lacked the tedium that Hermione's lectures brought upon and Harry found himself enjoying a retelling of the Great Sasquatch rebellion of 1892-a topic that he would have relegated to the same pits of boredom as Binn's lectures on the giant wars.

Even after Biddy had collected their breakfast utensils, Harry did not make any move to leave the East tower despite knowing that his friends would probably be waiting for him. Instead, he chose to settle down and read another volume of One Piece with Draco until their overtaxed muscles, and his growling stomach demanded attention.

Neither of them was in the mood to leave the tower, but they both knew that they couldn't possibly not show up in the Great Hall all day. While Draco's friends would not overthink it, the same could not be said of Harry's. They both knew that it was a matter of time before the latter came budging into their tower demanding an explanation. Thus, when it was time for lunch in the great hall, Harry and Draco reluctantly set their volume down and made the long walk to the dining hall.

Draco headed straight to the Slytherin table where he could see Pansy and Blaise conversing as the former served up both of their lunches while Harry went to his own table. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny seemed mutinous while some of his other housemates looked at him with open curiosity and Harry almost groaned with resignation. He was about to take his seat when he remembered that he had not asked Draco what time they should meet so that they could continue with the reading, so he paused in his action and quickly made his way to the snakes' table.

Draco had just seated himself when he noticed Harry hurrying over, and he raised his eyebrow in question. In fact, he was not the only one to notice Harry's actions because everyone had stopped whatever they had been doing to watch Harry approach the Slytherin table.

Usually, either Harry or Draco approaching the other's table would mean that a fight was about to break out but things had changed drastically over the last couple of months, and no one knew what to expect from the two lately.

Harry stopped right in front of Draco and feeling a bit self-conscious, he bent over to whisper in his ear so that only the blonde could hear what Harry was saying.

'Do you want to continue right after lunch?' He asked.

'Don't you have Quidditch after lunch?' Draco asked back. He himself didn't have any specific plans, but he had thought that they wouldn't be able to continue with the story until much later. Probably on a different day because Harry was usually too tired to do much after Sunday practice with his team.

'Practice is not until four.' Harry informed. Ginny who had been the acting captain when Harry could not play because of the bond had moved practice from two to four, and although Harry had not been initially happy with the reduction in practice time, he couldn't be happier with it now.

In all honesty, Harry loved flying, but he did not think he could continue Quidditch for much longer. He barely had any time for practice what with school work, training with Dumbledore and other order members, and recently, the desire to spend more time with Draco. Not to mention that without Draco playing seeker for the Slytherins, there wasn't much challenge from any of the other seekers. Even Cho Chang who was quite talented was not enough to keep Harry interested. At this point, Harry had no qualms about quitting and he was already entertaining thoughts of replacing Quidditch with the occasional seeker game with Draco.

'Okay.' Draco acknowledged. 'Let's meet in an hour.'

Harry thought an hour was too much time considering where they had left off the story but he also understood the need for the time. Draco needed to spend a bit of time catching up with his friends, and he himself had to assure his friends that Draco had not been keeping him prisoner in the tower. Still, an hour was too much, when he was itching to finish the Baratie arc.

'Forty minutes Draco.' Harry stated in a voice that suggested that the compromise was not up for discussion.

'Forty minutes.' Draco agreed with a roll of his eyes causing Harry to smile despite himself.

Pansy who had been following the interaction closely just barely managed to hide her shock as her eyes followed Potter back to his table. Draco had told them that things were changing with Potter, but she hadn't realised just how much change had already happened.

At the beginning of the term, Potter could not even be bothered to hide his hatred and disgust of Draco, but now, he could barely manage to disguise his affection. There had been a molten warmth in Potter's eyes when he was talking to Draco, and Pansy turned a knowing look to Blaise who also seemed to have observed the same thing she had. They would be talking about that later, but for now, they were just happy that Potter seemed to have some genuine affection for their friend. They may not fully trust Potter and his intentions but knowing what they knew now; they could hope that the Gryffindor would no longer intentionally hurt Draco as he had on previous occasions.

'Hi, guys.' Harry said the moment he took his seat at the Gryffindor table. He tried to make his voice light but there was a palpable tension in the air, and some of it was not because of the looks that his people were giving him.

Harry was still reeling from the previous day's disastrous Hogsmeade visit, and he found that he did not know how to treat his friends. There had always been an ease to their interactions, but that ease which he had taken for granted had disappeared, and he felt like he needed to weigh every word he said before it even left his mouth. It was awful, and he wished he could just grab his lunch and run back to the East tower.

His three friends acknowledged him with a nod of their heads, and Harry understood that they would not make it easy for him to pretend that everything was okay.

'I am sorry I did not show up for breakfast.' He apologised. 'I overslept, and when I woke up, breakfast was almost over.'

Although the three seemed to accept the explanation with another nod of their heads, Harry could also see suspicion in their eyes, and he wondered what they thought he had been doing.

'What was that about Harry?' Hermione asked with a chin jerk to the Slytherin table.

'Nothing much.' He answered and uselessly hoped that they would leave it at that.

'Nothing much?' Ginny inquired crossly. 'It was already suspicious that neither of you showed up for breakfast and when you finally do grace us with your presence, he is right there with you.'

'What are you implying Ginny?' Harry asked, his eyes severely narrowed behind his round glasses.

'She is asking what the hell you were doing cooped up with Malfoy the entire morning when we were supposed to be hanging out?' Ron expounded what his sister had implied, and his blue eyes did not even attempt to disguise his suspicion.

'Not that it's any of your business, but we were reading.' Harry answered.

'Reading?' Hermione pounced in interest. 'Maybe we should join you next time. I could use a few hours going over my last ancient runes class, and Ron has not even started on his homework.'

'Not schoolwork Hermione and I already finished my homework.'

Harry wasn't about to tell them that he had taken to having Draco help him with his work. The Slytherin was as smart as Hermione, and even better when it came to explaining. To get Draco's help, Harry had to conform to the Slytherin's schedule, and that schedule did not involve leaving homework to the last minute.

'What have you been reading then?' Hermione asked again, and it did not take a genius to interpret the suspicion in her eyes. She thought that Draco was introducing Harry to dark arts books and that made Harry want to defend his husband from unfounded accusations.

'Mostly fictional works.' Harry said.

'I would also like to read these stories.' Ginny said in a scathing voice that pushed Harry to the edge of his patience.

'I am sure you would, but you haven't been able to utter a civil word around Draco for months. We made a truce that prevents me from taking any hostility to our quarters, and I have no intention of violating it. Especially not for you.' The last was said in an aside, but from the shocked faces of the eavesdropping Gryffindors, Harry had not managed to keep it to himself. They knew that something must have happened for Harry to say such a thing about Ginny but they did not have a chance to ask about it because Ron chose that minute to ask a different question.

'Draco?' Ron asked, his face redder than his hair. 'Since when do you call Malfoy by his first name?'

'It happens when you live in close proximity to a person.' Harry answered without a care. It may have started only recently but there was no putting that genie back in the bottle, Malfoy was now Draco, and that was that.

'What's next, Drakie-poo?' There were several sniggers at that, and Harry simply could not take it. He just wanted the nagging to stop.

'I will bloody call him whatever I want.' Harry shouted finally losing his patience. 'If I bloody choose to adopt a Parkinson and call him 'darling', that's what I will bloody do.'

The room fell silent and realising that he had been shouting, Harry flushed in embarrassment. He seemed to be going off on his friends more often lately, and no one was missing the implications. An uncomfortable silence filled the hall in the wake of his shouting, and Harry was debating whether to make a run for it when the silence was interrupted by Draco.

'Just don't do anything strange to my name 'darling'.' Draco said with a drawling voice that did not attempt to conceal his amusement at the situation.

'Shut it 'darling' and hurry up,' Harry called back, emphasis on the endearment.

It was ridiculous that he had to explain his every move and action to people that were not his parents. People that were of the same age as he. It was just ridiculous, and he decided that he would do it no longer. Ron and Hermione could either begin treating him like the grown up he was or they would be looking for another friend sooner rather than later. As for Ginny, the only thing stopping him from publicly ending things at that point was the respect he still held for the Mr and Mrs Weasley. Publicly calling out Ginny on her affair would not only embarrass her but it would also cause pain to the other Weasleys, and he did not want to hurt them.

Deciding to ignore the Gryffindors for the time being, he turned his attention back to Draco.

'You only have eleven minutes until we have to go.' He called.

'Merlin, is this the bloody army?' Draco complained but still went back to his food, wanting to get as much nourishment as he could. Exactly eleven minutes later, he left the Slytherin table and Harry was just about to exit the hall as well when Dumbledore stopped him.

'A word in my office Mr Potter.' He said, and Harry could not help the annoyance that came over him. He locked eyes momentarily with Draco, and when the Slytherin nodded in understanding, Harry followed the headmaster to his office where they were joined not a minute later by Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Sirius, and Remus. He should not have been surprised really, and he rolled his eyes at his own naivete.

'Harry, your friends are concerned about you.' Dumbledore began once the group was seated around the headmaster's desk.

'What exactly is their concern and why didn't they feel they could speak to me directly?' Harry asked imperiously.

'It's because you won't let us speak Harry.' Hermione said timidly. 'Look at how you shouted at Ron during lunch.'

'You have changed mate.' Ron said. 'The ferret has probably done something to you.'

'Harry, they say that you no longer spend time with them?' Sirius asked.

'With the bond the way it was, I could hardly spend time with them since they don't get along with Draco.'

'You also never used to get along with Malfoy.' Sirius stated, and Harry wanted to roll his eyes. It was more than half a year since his bonding with Draco, and yet they all expected him to still be the same person he had been back then. It was an unreasonable expectation.

'We shouldn't be so hard on Harry.' Dumbledore said. His grandfatherly tone a mask of understanding but Harry had learnt to distrust that face. It was uncanny how Dumbledore could maintain the same serene and calm face when he was plotting a murder as when talking gibberish during the term opening ceremony. It was not normal, and he should have realised it much sooner than he had.

'Harry is still young, and although he has been through a lot, he has yet to be fully exposed to people like the Malfoys. Harry, young Draco Malfoy has been taught to manipulate from the cradle. Every word and every action he takes is measured to produce a desired effect, and you shouldn't let yourself be affected by them.' The headmaster cautioned.

'Off course I know Draco is a very calculating person, but he is not an evil person.' Harry said seriously, and Remus smiled briefly at the words. Harry had grown up, and he was learning to think for himself and Remus couldn't have been prouder. 'Draco is definitely hiding things, but I don't believe he means me or the wizarding world any harm.'

'You are only saying that because you are blinded, Harry.' Hermione said solemnly.

'What are you talking about Hermione?'

'Before you began living with Malfoy, you could hate him easily because you didn't think of him as human. Now that you see that he lives like the rest of us, you have begun to soften up. It's what he wants you to do Harry; he wants you pliable.' Hermione opined knowledgeably.

'Soften? Pliable? What is giving you this idea?'

Ginny was the one to roll her eyes this time. 'Harry, just yesterday you fought with us because we thought it was not fair for Malfoy to have the silver spider silk even though he hadn't seen it yet.'

'I thought we had already sorted this out.' Harry spat in irritation.

'Don't you see Harry, you would have never done that in the past.' Hermione said slowly, as though she was speaking with a child. 'You would have done everything you could to make sure that Malfoy didn't get what he wanted. The Harry I know would also never have had Chocolat au fondant packed to take back to his worst enemy.'

'I did no such thing.' Harry denied vehemently, but he had never been a convincing liar, so the lie was clear for everyone to read on his face.

'We are not fools Harry. You said you thought that the Chocolat au fondant was delicious and that's why you wanted to take some back at great inconvenience to the waiter…'

'…..and that was true.' Harry hurried quickly to say.

'..except that you didn't have Chocolat au fondant at the restaurant and everyone knows that Malfoy loves chocolate.' Listening to Hermione talk, Harry couldn't believe he had made such a mistake, but for the life of him, he really couldn't remember what he had eaten there. Sirius was looking at him in accusation, Dumbledore in pity, and Remus in amusement and Harry wondered what the man had to be amused about.

He sighed. He hadn't talked to Remus for a long time, and he remembered the man had caught them that one time during Christmas break. Maybe he should talk to him; he would surely be able to offer more insight into the observations that Harry had been making in the last couple of days and weeks. Too bad he couldn't count on the same from Sirius.

In as much as Harry loved his godfather, he was not blind to the man's faults. At almost forty, Sirius was still the same teenager that had almost led Severus to his death. He had an absolute opinion about who should be liked and who should be hated. The Malfoys like Snape were dark and should be hated, and Harry had very little hope that he could make the man understand that Draco was not an evil person. It was a maddening situation, and Harry was beginning to realise that maybe a reconciliation of his two lives would not be possible.

'So I took chocolate to Malfoy, we have formed a truce.' He defended himself weakly.

'Harry, Draco Malfoy is not your friend.' Sirius Black said to his godson. 'His family are all steeped in the dark arts. I only escaped because of my friendship with the marauders but Malfoy is another case, he is the very embodiment of his father. You can't trust him as far as you can throw him.'

'I think you are all mistaken about something; there is nothing in my interaction with Draco that would call for trust.' Harry said, and he could see the looks of disbelief that were cast his way.

'Then why do you spend so much time with him?' Sirius inquired.

'Like I said, we just do homework, play chess, and read books together. As you all know, he has thousands of books.' Harry defended.

'Sounds a lot like friends Harry.' Hermione observed.

'How so when it is you all that asked me to keep a close eye on him?' Harry couldn't believe he hadn't thought of that excuse earlier.

'…and have you found out anything?' Dumbledore asked.

'No.' Harry answered. 'All I know is that the Grey faction has become a real faction but nothing else. He hasn't been meeting with anyone, nor has he been writing or receiving letters of late.' Harry was not telling the entire truth, but until he knew for sure that Draco was a danger to him or the wizarding world, he didn't think he had any business telling on him to people who would wish him harm. 'Maybe Ron was wrong about his assumption.'

'I know what I saw, and I was not the only one.' Ron defended, just like Harry knew he would. Maybe he was learning some tricks from Draco after all. 'I am sure he is buying time, and he will make his move soon.'

 _Gotcha._ Harry thought and fought back a smile. Remus' eyes narrowed, Harry had somehow become a sly fox since he had last seen him.

'I think so too.' Harry said. 'I am waiting for him to drop his guard and I will be there when he finally makes his move.'

'Oh, so that's why you have been so close to him lately?' Ginny said with a smile that did not reach her eyes. Harry was not sure whether she was trying to make him think she was a fool but whatever she was up to, he would not fall for it. If he had learnt anything lately, it was that everyone had a dark side that they kept hidden from everyone else. On the surface, Ginny was a stubborn, temperamental but sweet girl but underneath, she was a lying and cheating hussy, and Harry instinctively knew that there was so much more darkness to her that he had been blind to. For now, he needed to play their games until he figured out exactly who he was and who they all were.

'Yea, he does not suspect he is being followed since I am using the invisibility cloak and marauders map.' Harry confirmed. 'He is bound to be cautious around an enemy, but now that we have a truce, he can relax around me a little. Professor Dumbledore, isn't that how spying works?'

Harry was a picture of innocence as he asked that and Remus couldn't believe that everyone was buying it. But then again, people often saw what they wanted to see, and even Dumbledore was no exception.

'You are right about that my boy.' The headmaster said. 'But you must be careful, Mr Malfoy can be very dangerous when driven into a corner.'

'I know headmaster; he is not a simple character.' Harry agreed.

'We should have known better than to suspect you like this.' Ron said sheepishly, and Harry couldn't tell whether his red-haired friend truly believed him or was pretending to believe him. Ron was cunning, and Harry didn't feel like he could let down his guard around him anymore.

'Don't worry mate; even I would suspect me if I was you.' Harry smiled and Remus thought that the boy was good, he definitely needed to talk to Harry. 'I have to get back now, or he will begin to suspect something if I stay too long.'

'Yes, off course.' Dumbledore agreed. 'However, I will need to see you this evening Harry. Please come straight up after supper.'

Harry nodded, wondering what Dumbledore wanted that could not be handled at that very moment. There had been no training scheduled for Sunday evening so he couldn't begin to guess what the meeting would be about.

'Be very careful Harry, I don't want you hurt.' Sirius said, and Harry smiled before hugging the man.

'I will see you lot at dinner.' He told his two friends before giving a quick kiss to Ginny on his way out.

'Yea mate.' Ron said. 'We are ready to help anytime.'

'Thanks, Ron.'

'I will walk with you, Harry. I need to speak to professor Snape, and I am hoping he is in the dungeons.' Remus called, and after they bid the others goodbye, they started away from the office.

Harry knew right away that Remus had no intention of going to the dungeons and had only said that as an excuse because he wanted to speak with him, so he led the way towards the room of requirement.

'I suppose you didn't believe any of that?' Harry asked as they walked.

'Not a word.' Remus confirmed, but instead of a censorious look, he gave Harry a cheeky smile that made Harry relax a bit.

'Draco knows that I am monitoring him.' Harry said with a laugh. 'He is definitely doing something interesting, but I don't know what.'

'I see.' Remus said. 'And what are you doing cooped up together all day long?'

'Actually, I didn't lie about that. We have mostly been reading, and he is probably waiting for me to get back since we are in the middle of a book.'

'Harry, what do you actually think of Malfoy?' Remus asked seriously once they were in the room of requirement. The room had given them a classroom that was reminiscent of Remus' old class back in third year. It was a curious choice.

Harry took his time to consider Remus' question. There was a lot to consider when it came to Draco Malfoy, but he had an inkling of the direction that Remus wanted to take the conversation.

'It's true that I don't think he is evil but he has a lot of secrets. We have a line that we don't cross when it comes to dealing with each other, and I haven't felt that he would be open to talking to me.'

'Do you want him to?' Remus asked concerned. He couldn't say anything about Draco to Harry, it was simply not his place, and they seemed to be managing things as well as they could on their own.

'Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't.' Harry answered truthfully. 'I have a feeling that everything will change once I know everything and I don't think I am ready for such drastic changes.'

'You have grown up Harry.' Remus said proudly, but Harry also saw something else in the man's face. It was an understanding that made Harry think that Remus knew more about Draco than what was generally known by the public. He warred with the instinct to ask but decided against it because he knew that Remus would have told him what he knew, if he could, even without his asking.

'Do you think I have changed then?' Harry asked with a frown.

'Not changed per se, just grown up.'

'Although not in the same words, Draco also said something like that.' Harry said. 'Do you think it's weird that we have become friendly lately?' He asked using the word for lack of a better one.

'Like I said, Harry, you have grown up, and I feel I can trust the decisions the person in front of me makes.'

Harry smiled. 'Thank you, Remus. I am also happy that you are no longer a werewolf, how is it?'

Remus broke into a smile of his own. 'It's great really.' And he began to explain just how great it was.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Although Draco knew that it would take Harry some time to get back to the East tower after the meeting with the headmaster, he still started back for their rooms right after breakfast. It was on the way there that he met up with Luna Lovegood who appeared to have been waiting for him around a corner.

Harry already knew that the girl was part of the Grey faction so Draco decided to invite her to the East tower where they could talk freely. They had corresponded through letters in the past weeks, but it still took a while for Draco to fully understand what the strange girl was on about but when he did, he found that she was not as crazy as everyone made her out to be. Within a few minutes of talking to her, Draco could see the Ravenclaw in her and surprisingly, a bit of Slytherin that was soo subtly concealed that it presented as lunacy.

By the time they arrived at the tower, Draco had acquired a healthy respect for the girl, and he was glad that she had decided to join the faction. He had no idea why she had done what she had, but he was glad all the same.

After placing some wards around the entrance to ensure that he would know right away when someone came through, he led Luna to Harry's and his rooms. They settled on the sofa on Draco's side of the room and having gone through the small talk on the way to the tower; Luna went straight to the point of her contact.

'I found out the things you wanted.' She began, and Draco settled back in his seat to listen.

In his most recent letter to her, Draco had asked her to find out information about Hogwarts with regards to its capacity and restrictions for admission. In the same letter, he had also asked her to be a liaison between himself and professor Lupin. He had been hoping for some news about the werewolves from the professor, but nothing had come through yet.

'I have been coordinating with Marina, Ms Edgecomb, and professor Snape and we have found out that Hogwarts as it is, is only about two-fifths to capacity. There are tens of classrooms and dorm rooms that are not in use. Slytherin house has the least number of students and thus has the most dorm space available, but all the other houses also have space for more students. The south tower is also not in use and has been used in the past as dormitories for older students.'

Draco had known that Hogwarts was not at full carrying capacity, but he had not expected that it had soo much room left over. In fact, he had never heard anything about dormitories in the South tower, but it now all made sense since only two classes were ever held in the massive south tower. With both theoretical Herbology and Transfiguration being taught on the ground floor of the tower, all other floors were not in use. However, he did not fully understand the comment that Luna had made about older students being housed there in past years, and he raised an eyebrow in question of that.

'Over the years, the number of magical children has reduced, and there has been no need for the South tower. However, in the past, seventh years of every house were housed in the South tower to give more room in their houses. It was rationalised that seventh years would learn independence as they head to the outside world by living alone outside of their communal houses for the last year of their schooling.'

'That's good news then.' Draco said with a smile. He could work with this.

''Yes.' She agreed and smiled back at him.

'Any magical being has an equal chance of admittance into Hogwarts. There are no restrictions on age, race, or species in the charters of Hogwarts School.' Luna continued excitedly, and Draco could barely restrain his own excitement at hearing that. 'The founders clearly stated that they wished to give education to magical children and because they had different personalities, children not acceptable by one founder would find acceptance elsewhere. During the time of the founders, magical creatures were perceived as beings of pure and wild magic, and it was not uncommon for wizards to mate with them. Magical creature blood boosts the magic in a wizard's bloodline, so not even Slytherin was against wizards with creature blood. As it is, his objection of muggle born wizards and witches had nothing to do with blood, but the corrosion of wizarding culture brought on by associating with muggle culture.'

Draco nodded, he knew that, as did any Slytherin worth his salt and worthy of being called a Slytherin.

'Go on….' He prompted. He was conscious that Harry could return at any minute and he didn't want to have to reschedule this talk with Luna or consign it to a letter.

'As you know, the East tower is for married students as it was very common for students to marry at a young age back then. There were instances where students married even before school while some married in the course of their education.' Draco knew that, and in the months that the bond had restricted movement, he and Harry had explored the East tower for the lack of a better way to spend their time. While not as spacious as the dungeons and Draco presumed the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff spaces, the tower was quite spacious. It could comfortably house another two dozen couples, but Draco hoped that he and Harry would remain the only married couple until they finished their schooling. Good thing that wizards now waited longer to marry.

'What about the West tower?' He asked. Aside from the room that he now used as his base, Draco had noticed that some areas of the tower were heavily warded and full of complex spells whose purpose he hadn't quite gotten around to investigate.

'The west tower whose top floor is now used as the owlery was specially warded to isolate magical creatures when the need arose. As I understand it, some of the rooms work like the room of requirement and adjust to the present need. For example, it could be used to contain a werewolf during the full moon and be used later to isolate a succubus when they are in heat and dangerous for other people to be around.'

Listening to what the Ravenclaw was saying, it really hit home for Draco just how much the wizarding world had changed in the millennium since the time of the founders. Magical creatures had gone from being widely accepted as a normal part of the wizarding society to dregs relegated to the fringes of society. Draco could identify with those rejects and his resolve to do something to change things reaffirmed itself in him stronger than ever before. He was jolted from his thoughts by what Luna said next.

'Hogwarts has not openly admitted a magical creature in centuries, but that should never have happened. The ministry's intolerance of magical creatures should not have affected the way that Hogwarts conducts its business.'

'What do you mean by that?' Draco asked in confusion.

'Have you ever wondered how the school is run?' Luna asked and Draco for the first time thought about it.

He had always assumed that at some point the ministry of magic had acquired the school from the descendants of the four founders and governors like his father had been appointed to run the school. He had also assumed that the ministry provided the funds necessary to run and maintain the school standards but the more he thought about it, the more he began to see the flaw in his assumptions. If the ministry had been in full control of the school, they would never have allowed half of the things that Dumbledore had gotten away with doing over the years. There was definitely more to it, and from the look on Luna's face, she had found it, and Draco nodded for her to continue since there was no need for an answer to her question.

'We do not pay any money to attend Hogwarts because the school is run by a trust that the founders established. The administrators of the trust have never been made public, and a vow made to the founders requires them to stay in the shadows to prevent manipulation. Their duty is passed down the generations. However, for as long as the founders' trust runs the school, then the guidelines that the founders left cannot be changed.'

This was big, and the two couldn't help but smile at each other again as they considered the implications of what Luna had found out. Draco had asked her to find out about Hogwarts so that he could somehow find a way of helping those who had been werewolves get admission but the possibilities that were now opening up to him were endless, and he did not doubt that he would fully take advantage of them.

Impatient to tell everything she had found out, Luna went on.

'I am not sure at what point over the centuries that Hogwarts fell into the hands of the ministry, but that is just an illusion. Wizards and magical creatures alike only accept the ministry control of Hogwarts because they do not know about the founders' trust and charter that details how Hogwarts should be run. The founders' way of doing things has fallen through the cracks over the centuries, and the administrators of the trust can do nothing until someone petitions them to do something.'

'This is great. Where did you even find this information?' Draco asked.

'I searched through the entire library and read all the 'Hogwarts A history' in stock and acquired even more obscure editions from Ms Edgecomb. I began to have a feeling that something was off and we asked Balthazar to see if he could find anything in the ministry archives. I also asked the room of requirement, and by sheer luck, there were a few books. Professor Snape also came through with some books from somewhere, and we pieced everything together.'

Draco could not believe that she had done so much in soo little time. She had gone far and beyond what he had asked of her and once again, he thanked his lucky stars that Luna Lovegood had decided to join his faction.

'You have really done a great job, Luna.' He acknowledged.

'Thank you.'

'I wish everything was going as well on other quarters. We are yet to find a werewolf who had previously held a lordship and a seat on the Wizengamot prior to their becoming a werewolf.' He informed forlornly.

'That was another thing I wanted to speak to you about.' She said urgently. 'Professor Lupin has come across the name of one, but he hasn't been able to locate him. Apparently, the man and his family disappeared from the English wizarding world amid humiliation from the media and persecution from the ministry, and no one has seen them since. Professor Lupin has asked the werewolves that have agreed to join the Grey faction to look for the family, and they are doing so as we speak. We are hoping that they will be found before the full moon next week.'

Draco nodded and hoped that the family would be found soon too. If they were not found before the full moon, the window for taking the lycanthropy potion would be closed until the next moon a month away.

It really didn't matter when the family took the cure, but Draco was eager to set his plans in motion. A titled Lord was critical to the Grey factions' plans, and Draco was banking on the man being willing to be the Grey faction's voice of change in the Wizengamot.

'Say, if in the times of the founders' creature blood was not a bad thing, then there must have been some creature representation in the Wizengamot.' Draco voiced the sudden thought that had come to his mind.

Luna nodded. 'Well, there was no Wizengamot back then, but they did have councils which functioned much like the current Wizengamot. To answer your question, magical creatures were adequately represented in those councils, but the current ministry which was established in 1718 refused to acknowledge magical creatures as anything more than animals. That attitude towards magical creatures has led to the bad relationship with human wizards of today.' She said sadly, and Draco couldn't help but feel the same.

It was a shame how people tended to discriminate against others that are unlike them, but if Draco and his Grey faction had their way, then everything would be reset to zero. He planned for a new beginning between human wizards and magical creatures. He knew it would not be easy but there were no bars to measure against, so they would be allowed to make mistakes but always move forwards and never back. This was too important an issue to be left as it was.

'Is there a way to get someone of creature blood appointed to the Wizengamot?'

'We have found nothing so far and to be truthful, I doubt we will find any.'

'I will see if the vampires still have ancient records.' Draco said. 'They might have something which could help us understand what happened to cause this great divide.'

When he spoke of the great divide, he didn't just mean of the chasm that existed between wizards and magical creatures but also the one that existed between light and dark wizards. Draco knew for sure that it had not been like this in the past and the generalisation of dark wizards as evil was something recent. After all, there had just been as many evil wizards from light descent as there were from the dark descent.

'That's a good idea.' Luna agreed and continued. 'I didn't have time though to look at the chilling grass.'

'You have done more than can be expected from anyone given the amount of time you had. Either way, Severus and I figured it out, and when the vampires return, we should be able to plant them no problem.'

'That's good.' Luna said. 'Can I ask how you want to go about the vampire issue?'

'Well, I discovered why they are unable to stay in the sun.' Draco announced, and Luna almost jumped up from her sit in shock and then almost laughed at the ease with which Draco had said the words. As far as she knew, vampires had been there longer than records existed and no doubt someone had attempted to find out why they couldn't be in the sun and here Draco was, mentioning the discovery as if it was an ordinary thing! She would have mentioned something about that if she wasn't soo eager to hear what he had found out.

'A human body has 54.5% plasma, 44.8% red blood cells and 0.7% white blood cells. However, the vampire body has no plasma, and because of it, it contains a lot of unbound hydrogen ions which makes their blood very acidic. Their highly acidic blood has a low boiling point, and the heat from the sun causes a reaction in their blood causing combustion from within the body.'

Luna sucked in all the information she got, and before he could even finish, she already had an idea. 'The chilling grass in the potion you will be making will affect the hypothalamus and body cells to ensure that the body temperature of the vampire does not surpass a certain temperature thus preventing the fatal reaction when they are exposed to the sun?'

'Exactly.' Draco smiled. That was a Ravenclaw for you!

'The theory is pretty simple, but it can't be that easy?' she asked.

'It's not.' He agreed. '…but I have a working idea.' Before he could say more, he felt the wards shift at the entrance to the tower, and he warned the girl to stay quiet. 'Keep safe and keep me updated. '

She nodded in acceptance just as Harry made his way into the room. He had enjoyed spending time with Remus, but he couldn't help but want to be back in the East tower. He only had precious limited time before he had to go for Quidditch practice and he wanted to spend as much of it as he could with Draco.

'Clever git.' Harry said when he saw them but he had a smile on his face. 'Taking the chance when I am away to have a Grey faction meeting.'

'It's always my pleasure to keep you on your toes Harry.' Draco said with a laugh and Harry flushed in delight as his name rolled smoothly from the blonde's mouth.

'It's been awhile, Harry.' Luna said with an affectionate look on her face. There was something adorable with the way the two boys interacted, and she couldn't wait for the day that they realised that they were truly meant for each other. Harry was Draco's, and Draco was Harry's, but while that was clear to her, factors in their lives clouded that knowledge from them. She was glad that she wouldn't have to watch them be confused for much longer.

'Yea, it's been awhile since we talked Luna.' Harry smiled at the girl as he said that.

However strange Luna was, she had always been special to Harry. She had been the first one to talk to him about the thestrals last year and even when she joined the Grey faction; Harry could not find it in himself to resent her. In fact, she was one of the reasons that Harry had realised that Draco was more than what most saw. After all, there was no way that Luna would be involved in anything even remotely resembling evil.

'The wrackspurts have finally let go of you.' She finally said after looking at Harry for what seemed like hours. Harry had no idea what she was seeing, but he gathered that she meant that his thoughts had become clearer and so he nodded in agreement.

'…..and I feel better for it Luna.'

'Good.' She said. 'I have to go now; I am sure there are things you would rather be doing instead of talking to little ol' me.' She winked and left, leaving the two boys thoroughly confused and unexplainably flushed.

'She just winked.' Harry said.

'Yes, she did.' Draco intoned.

'No 'welcome home darling'?' Harry teased with a pout and Draco had to suppress a smile.

'Welcome home darling,' He played along and even went further to place a soft kiss on Harry's pouty lips. 'I hope you had a productive discussion about me?'

'Of course my dear, it was quite productive.' They both smiled and took the sofa.

To be continued…

 **AN:**

Hello, everyone. Finally, a chapter, sorry for the long wait. I hope you liked and enjoyed it.

The Great Sasquatch rebellion of 1892 that Draco was retelling to Harry is a real thing. It was revealed on Pottermore that MACUSA dealt with a sasquatch rebellion in 1892. I am not quite sure why I felt the need to clarify that but there it is! Check it out if you are interested.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	30. Two Sides of the Same Coin

**Chapter Thirty-Two Sides of the Same Coin**

Things were going slower than he had planned and he didn't like it. One would think that the increased number and calibre of death eaters he now had would push things along but that was not happening, and it was frustrating. For Merlin's sake, even Malfoy could not do something as simple as finding a way to get a hold of his son.

Lucius may be oblivious about his son, but Voldemort was not. The boy was more beautiful than anything else he had ever wanted to possess but beauty was not all that the boy was. There was something about him that he could not put a finger on and it was driving him insane.

It was the first time he laid eyes on the boy after his resurrection that Voldemort first felt like he was forgetting something important. It was a persistent feeling that would not go away and one that grew stronger every time he saw the young Malfoy over the summer holidays. If he did not know that his 'death' at the hands of Potter all those years ago had caused some of his memories to become fuzzy, he would have suspected that someone had somehow obliviated him without his notice which would explain the deja vu he was feeling.

Whatever the case, the nagging feeling would not let him ignore young Draco Malfoy, and the more he looked at the boy, the more drawn and wary he became. All he knew at this point was that Draco Malfoy should under no circumstances be allowed to stay beside Potter or all would be lost. The boy had to be recovered before Dumbledore discovered whatever it was that inspired so much foreboding in his very being.

At that thought, he looked down at the letter that was spread on the desk in front of him. It was a report from one of his loyal death eaters stationed at Hogwarts, and it detailed everything that had happened in the Great Hall that very day. Harry Potter was developing deeper feelings for the Malfoy son, and the very thought of it made him angrier than it should have.

Deciding to have another word with Lucius, Voldemort snapped his fingers, and a house elf appeared. It was a pathetic little being, and as he saw it whimper in front of him, he could not help the satisfaction he felt. It knew it's place and soon, the rest of the wizarding world would too. He was the last of the Gaunts. The last of the proud line of Slytherin and Cadmus Peverell before him. Yes, he deserved to be treated as befit his status, and soon, the whole world would fall at his feet.

'Call Lucius to me.' He snapped at the thing, and it quickly made its exit. He knew Lucius would be at Malfoy Manor at that time of the afternoon and he settled back in his study chair to wait. He had not accorded anyone but himself and the house-elves permission to apparate through the Gaunt manor wards and he expected it would take Lucius a few minutes to come through the floo.

Just as he had expected, he heard the floo chime only three minutes later and hurried footsteps made their way towards his study, but he did not look up from his desk until he heard the soft whoosh of robes as someone fell to their knees.

 _Yes, even the great Lucius Malfoy knew his place!_ Voldemort thought with a pleased sneer on his face as he finally turned his attention to his servant.

He was about to speak when he noticed that the person in front of him was not Lucius but another of his loyal death eaters. This one was strategically positioned at the ministry of magic, and he was one of the few that he allowed to come to the manor without being summoned first.

'Permission to speak…' The man said in a strong cold voice that was never heard outside of the presence of his master, and two of the most loyal death eaters. To everyone at the ministry of magic and Dumbledore, the man now kneeling at the feet of the dark lord was unremarkable in everything that he was. His work, personality, wealth, and connections were good but not exceptional enough to attract attention. He was highly situated at the ministry, but his department was not deemed as important as most others in the ministry. All these factors combined allowed him access to high-level information and little to no suspicion when information was leaked to the death eaters.

'We will wait for Lucius.' Voldemort said, and the man nodded in acceptance but made no move to rise from his position until the dark lord indicated that he should take one of the seats opposite the desk.

They only waited for a couple more minutes until Voldemort heard another chime of the floo and Lucius Malfoy came strutting into the room. The dark lord was eager to know what his man at the ministry had found out, so he dispensed with the usual theatrics and allowed Lucius to take a seat beside his fellow.

'You may speak now.' He told his spy the moment Lucius was settled.

'Something odd happened yesterday at the ministry.' The spy began and seeing that his master was impatient to know more, he continued. 'The wards were lowered once in the morning and again in the early evening. I know for certain that people apparated in and out of the ministry in those occasions, but I am not privy to their identities. What I can confirm is that whoever they were apparated directly to and out of the fifth floor.'

'Isn't the fifth floor occupied by the Department of International Magical Cooperation?' Lucius asked although he already knew the answer to his question.

It had been years since the minister of magic considered the secrecy of a meeting more important than the security threat posed by lowering the ministry wards even for the short time that it took for people to apparate in or out. Certainly, that had not happened since before the first rise of the Dark Lord almost twenty years ago and that it had happened now arose both curiosity and suspicion in Lucius.

'Yes.' The man agreed. 'Another thing I know is that the only England ministry officials to take part in the meeting were Dumbledore, Fudge, and Percy Weasley. No one else at the ministry seems to have a clue as to what is going on. It is a curious situation.'

Voldemort could not help but agree, it was definitely a curious situation. The fact that the meeting took place in the offices of International magical cooperation meant that the meeting was likely attended by foreign dignitaries. A meeting of the International Confederation of Wizards was the most likely, but no matter how much he searched his mind, he could not come up with a reason as to why such a meeting would happen now. To the best of his knowledge, the International community had decided to wait and see what happened in England before it decided to interfere and he wondered whether something had made it change its stance. Voldemort did not doubt that he could still conquer England even with the interference, but cooperation between the countries would make things all the more difficult for him.

'What do you make of this Lucius?' Voldemort asked his righthand man. He hated to admit it, but when it came down to political games, no one was better than Lucius Malfoy.

'If I was to guess, I would say it was an International Confederation of Wizards meeting, but I am surprised it happened at all.' The Malfoy patron said, but his face did not betray the proclaimed surprise. 'It would make overthrowing the ministry and Dumbledore harder if the International community has decided to side with the light. However, I doubt that that is the case and if I am right, we need to find out whatever is going on as soon as possible.'

Voldemort agreed with Lucius, but he had no intention of taking chances that they were wrong. If the International community had indeed chosen sides, then he would be ready to face them although it was much earlier than he had initially planned.

'Can you find out exactly who attended the meeting?' Voldemort directed this to his spy who had been observing and listening closely to the two men.

'The only way to find out is by getting the information straight from either Fudge, Dumbledore, or Weasley.' The man began. 'Normally, we would use legillimency or veritaserum on either Fudge or Weasley, but the Dragon world spell has closed that avenue to us.' The man finished and subconsciously, he and Lucius leant back in the chairs in wariness.

Dragon world had become a dangerous subject to bring up around their master, and neither of them wanted to be the recipient of the dark lord's anger at that very moment.

It was months since that damned store opened and they were not any closer to discovering the owner. Lucius had gone as far as threatening the goblins with removing his business from Gringotts, but the goblins had been steadfast in their refusal. The creatures had never once before failed him and the fact that they had risked losing his business rather than telling him the identity of the Dragon World owner made him think that there was more going on than he was aware of. Not knowing was a horrible feeling, and it wasn't helped by the fact that he could detect an almost palpable excitement in the goblins every time he set foot in Gringotts. It was unsettling to see a goblin attempt a smile, and it made Lucius even more convinced that something he was unaware of was afoot.

A suffocating tension in the air drew Lucius' attention back to Voldemort whose eyes had turned even redder than usual. It had been a bad idea to bring up Dragon world in front of the dark lord and the two death eaters resigned themselves to the inevitability of the cruciatus that they knew was coming.

'What have you found out about Dragon World Lucius?' Voldemort asked in a dangerous voice, and Lucius sighed. There was no escaping the torture now.

'Nothing as of yet.' He said bravely and bit down on his lower lip when the first cruciatus hit him. It didn't matter that he had been through this more times than he could count, it still burnt every nerve in his body, and it was all he could do to keep himself in his seat and the screams from coming out. He had no idea for how long he was under the curse and for one moment after he regained his senses, Lucius let himself feel the deep hatred that he at times felt for the dark lord. It was a momentary feeling that disappeared faster than the mad sneer Voldemort wore on his face every time he tortured someone, but it was there all the same.

Slowly, Lucius willed himself to ignore the pain, and his breath evened as the dark lord watched with mocking eyes.

Voldemort waited for his servant to collect himself before he addressed both of them.

'It would be foolish to try and acquire information from either Dumbledore, Weasley, or Fudge. 'He began, and when he saw that they were paying attention, he continued. 'We have an advantage if they do not realise that we know anything about the secret meeting and thus we cannot act in England at the moment.'

Even before the dark lord had finished talking, Lucius had already caught on the plan. If they could manage to single out a foreign representative who had attended the meeting, they would be able to acquire the information they needed without attracting any attention. Judging by the England representatives, chances were that the country representatives included either a minister of magic or an International magical cooperation official. If they targeted an official from a country outside of Europe, chances were that the wizards would not be using the Dragon World spell and there was little probability that the attack would be traced back to death eaters.

'Take care of this Lucius.' Voldemort commanded, and Lucius accepted at once. He was the natural choice to deal with this after all.

'Make sure that you do not fail me this time.' Voldemort emphasised with undisguised malice in his eyes before turning to his spy.

'Continue your work at the ministry but try and look into the Dragon World situation. That little shop has become a nuisance, and the situation cannot be allowed to continue.' He said.

To be truthful, the shop was more than a nuisance. For the moment, only Remus Lupin had taken the lycanthropy cure, and if Voldemort was not careful, he would lose some of his werewolves on the next full moon. He had never given marks to any of the wolves, and that could become a great weakness since he would not be able to track any of the werewolves if they left his service.

'I will do what I can.' The spy said as he stood up knowing that the last statement was a dismissal. After deep bows, both the spy and Lucius exited the study leaving Voldemort to brood.

Everything would begin in the summer, and by year's end, England would have fallen at his feet. His defeat years ago had taught him a valuable lesson and Voldemort was not leaving anything to chance this time around. Not even an act of Merlin would be able to prevent or stop the tragedy that would befall the wizarding world. As he thought of his plans, Voldemort chuckled evilly as he imagined the despaired faces of Harry Potter, Dumbledore, and the order as they realised that there was nothing they could do to save themselves let alone everyone else.

In good humour, Voldemort pulled a chess board that sat on the right side of his desk directly in front of him. He palmed a white knight in his hand and was about to make his opening move when he suddenly felt the years fall away.

A younger version of him sat in the library at Malfoy Manor, having just finished reading a book on the Fidelius charm. He was frustrated that there was no way to break the charm and impatient to kill the Potter child before the prophecy came to pass. He was contemplating what to do when he heard a shuffling noise and a look in the direction where he had heard the sound revealed the Malfoy heir who was crawling towards him.

Voldemort had no idea why the one and a half years old toddler was there, but he watched in fascination as it crawled its way to his side and struggled to lift itself on the armrest of his chair. The natural reaction would have been to hex it or call an elf, but there was a light in its eyes that should not have been in a child of its age. In shock, he watched the young Draco Malfoy correctly move a white knight to checkmate the black king on a chess board that someone had abandoned on a small table next to his seat.

Even after the memory had faded in the background and Voldemort could now perceive the harsh angles of his study, he could still clearly recall the pleased smile of a toddler who had had no business understanding chess at his age. As he sat alone in his study, the dark lord allowed himself for the first to be terrified by someone who was magically weaker than him because he now knew who the owner of Dragon World was.

 ** _Hogwarts After Dinner…_**

Grudgingly Harry made his way to the headmaster's office immediately after dinner as Dumbledore had instructed. He had no idea what Dumbledore wanted to speak about since he had been given the weekend off, but he figured that it had to be important if the headmaster had decided that it could not wait for the training session planned for the following day.

As usual, the gargoyles guarding the headmaster's office sprung open the moment he whispered the password that he had been given earlier in the day and he quickly ascended the stairs leading to the main office. At the top of the stairs, Harry did not bother to knock or announce his presence because he had found out months ago that there were intruder wards around the place that alerted Dumbledore whenever someone approached his office. Instead, he waited to be called in.

He did not have to wait long, and when he entered the room, he found that Dumbledore had already rearranged the office to create the magical space that they used for his training. Harry had no idea what sort of spells Dumbledore used, but for their sessions, the room appeared as large as a classroom and all the silver objects and portraits that usually littered the place were nowhere to be found.

'I thought we had no training until tomorrow?' He asked the headmaster who was seating on a simple wooden chair at the very centre of the room.

'Things have changed my boy.' The man said causing Harry to raise his eyebrow in question. 'Have a seat Harry.'

Harry could barely catch the wand movement that conjured a chair just opposite the headmaster, and he was once again reminded that Dumbledore was the strongest wizard alive. Despite his old age, the man was fast and he more often than not used non-verbal magic as opposed to verbal magic. In the early days of training, Harry would go back to his rooms with a myriad of injuries because he was unable to react fast enough to the spells that Dumbledore used, but over time, he had honed his reflexes well enough to either dodge or erect an appropriate shield. That said, he was still a long way from being able to duel at par with Dumbledore let alone Voldemort.

'Harry, you are aware that I attended an International Confederation of wizards meeting yesterday?' Dumbledore began when Harry was comfortably seated across from him.

'Yes sir, you mentioned it.' Harry responded and waited for the man to get to the point.

'I cannot tell you everything that was said, but as a direct result of the meeting, Hogwarts will soon be home to forty exchange students for the foreseeable future.'

Whatever Harry had expected, it was not that. He had become so used to things always revolving about Voldemort that he had expected Dumbledore to go straight into one aspect of Voldemort or another.

Just as he was about to ask the headmaster to go on, something occurred to him that made his blood run cold.

'It's not another tournament, is it?' He asked, dread chocking his throat and making his words come out a bit strained. He still had nightmares about the graveyard when Voldemort killed Cedric Diggory at the end of his fourth year, and he did not think he could handle something like that again.

'No, it's not a tournament.' Dumbledore said, and there was no mistaking the pity in his voice and eyes as he looked at Harry. Harry was a tool, created and sharpened for the sole purpose of defeating Voldemort but it was impossible not to feel sorry for the boy given what he had gone through over the years.

'Why are they coming here then?'

'Harry, I want you to listen to me very carefully.' Dumbledore said sombrely, and in reaction to that tone of voice, Harry sat up in his chair. 'So far, I have only taught you how to be a fire elemental wizard, but you are capable of so much more. You are what is known as an all-elemental wizard.'

'What is that?' The teenager asked curiously.

'An all-elemental wizard is one who can use and manipulate all elements of nature. You have already learnt fire, and with enough training, you will also be able to wield water, earth, and air. There are other sub-elements, but fire, water, earth and air are the main ones.'

'Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?' He asked. It all made sense to him now. Over the months, Harry had felt his magic grow stronger and become restless, and no matter how much training he did, there was always a dissatisfaction. It was as if his magic was itching to be used, but Harry could not figure out exactly how he needed to use it.

'It was not the right time.' The headmaster replied, and Harry felt anger spark in him. This was yet another thing that Dumbledore had hidden from him just like he had done with the prophecy last year and Harry was quickly getting fed up with the secrets. It was common sense to him that training as an all-elemental wizard would improve his chances of defeating Voldemort as compared to being a fire elemental. It made no sense to Harry that Dumbledore had not told him earlier, and it made him warier around Dumbledore than he had ever needed to be before.

'Why is this the right time?' He asked once he had managed to control his anger.

'I cannot go further into it right now, but the International community has reason to believe that you are uncommonly powerful and the foreign students will be here to secretly monitor and report on you. 'Dumbledore said. 'You must not allow anyone to know the true extent of your abilities. Not even your friends, miss Weasley or Mr Malfoy for that matter.'

Harry could understand hiding how powerful he was from the public to catch Voldemort by surprise, but he did not understand why he had to lie to the people closest to him. Dumbledore had always insisted that he should always be open with his friends and for the man to be suggesting this now let Harry know that there was more that was going on than the old man was letting on.

There was a time that he would have simply trusted the headmaster when he said that all would be revealed in time but that time had come and gone. That time had been before he realised that Dumbledore was willing to do anything for the greater good. That time was before he knew that Draco was an expendable piece in this war that was looming in front of them all. Now, Harry could not afford to trust the word of his old mentor.

'Do they know that I am an all-elemental wizard?' He asked instead of asking the question he truly wanted the answer to. Dumbledore would not be moved from his decision to hide things from him, and Harry knew that he would have to figure things out for himself rather than blindly waiting.

'Not yet and I want it to remain that way.' There was a warning in Dumbledore's eyes and Harry almost rolled his eyes in annoyance. 'The students that will be coming will all be the top students in their respective magical schools, and you must always be on the lookout because we have no idea what kind of magic they will employ in their quest for the truth.'

'I understand.'

'From now on, you will need to carry your invisibility cloak and marauders map wherever you go.' Harry nodded in agreement. It made no difference to the usual because he already did that since he began following Draco in an attempt to find out what the boy was up to.

'Another thing Harry, you may not have noticed this, but your magic tends to leak out even when you are not under emotional distress. A keen wizard can tell the magical strength of another wizard by the amount of magic that leaks out of them. We have until the end of the Easter holidays for you to master concealing techniques.'

Harry already knew that his magic made things happen whenever he got angry, but he had had no idea that his magic leaked out even under normal circumstances. Thinking about it, he could recall instances where people looked at him weirdly for no reason he could discern or even appear a bit drunk whenever they stayed around him for too long. He should have realised it sooner since they had been taught about magic intoxication in fifth year magical theory but then again, theory had never been his strong point.

'Will I have more training sessions or will we have to put off normal training until I have mastered the concealment magic?' He asked.

'We cannot afford to take a break, so I am afraid this will mean more lessons.' Dumbledore warned.

'I see.' Harry said as he looked around the room sadly. Increasing the hours he needed to train on top of everything else meant that he would need to quit quidditch sooner than he had thought but the worst was that there would be fewer hours available to spend with Draco. He hated that aspect of things, but he also understood the necessity of it. He wanted Voldemort to be gone so that he could concentrate on sorting out his very complicated life.

'As you have noticed, I have already prepared the room for training.' Dumbledore said as he stood and his chair vanished into thin air. 'However, we will do something different today.'

Harry's chair also vanished when he stood up, and he withdrew his wand from his jeans ready to start whatever Dumbledore had in mind.

'You will not need your wand today.' The headmaster said, and although Harry was sceptical, he returned his beloved holly to the back pocket of his jeans. 'I want you to begin training with water as soon as possible and to do that, you must be able to sense water just as you did with fire.'

'Water is all around us Harry.' Dumbledore continued. 'I want you to try and feel the water in the atmosphere.'

Harry did not even have the slightest idea on how to start doing what Dumbledore was asking. When he had begun learning to control fire, the headmaster had at least given him a lit candle, and he wished that the man had thought to provide him with a basin of water or something in this case.

'The best way to reach out to the water in the atmosphere is to meditate.' Dumbledore counselled. 'You must close your mind to everything else and allow your magic to reach out to the water in the air.'

Honestly, Harry could not make heads or tails of what the man was saying, and either way, he had always been rubbish at clearing his mind for meditation. Nevertheless, he sat on the floor in a lotus position and attempted to clear his mind, but his thoughts would not cease. The more he tried clearing his mind, the more his thoughts tried to be heard, and in frustration, he opened his eyes to find Dumbledore looking at him with a contemplative face.

'Maybe that is the wrong approach for you my boy.' Dumbledore remarked as he saw the frustration. He should have remembered that Harry had not managed the required discipline to master meditation for occlumency the previous year. He needed to find another way to teach Harry, and he was about to call off the lesson until tomorrow when a sudden idea struck him.

'Close your eyes Harry and take a deep breath.' Dumbledore instructed, and Harry did so after rolling his eyes at the weird attempt at what he thought would be hypnotism.

On his part, Dumbledore had no intention to hypnotise Harry but instead non-verbally cast a small spell that would bring Harry's fears to the forefront of his mind. For his idea to work, Harry had to be mortally afraid and desperate. If it worked, Harry would be able to use the water in the air in a wild attempt to protect himself and his loved ones. If he managed it one time, then the feeling of using water would be engraved in him, and he would be able to do it a second time and more.

'Imagine yourself on the Hogwarts express, heading to Grimmauld place with your friends for the Easter break.' Dumbledore said, and Harry had no problem imagining himself there. However, he was not in the train carriage with his friends but with Draco. Draco was saying something, but Harry could not hear him properly because Dumbledore was drowning his voice.

'Suddenly, the train is attacked, and in the blink of an eye, your carriage is ripped from the rest, and you are apparated to the graveyard in Little Hangleton. Voldemort and his death eaters have surrounded you and your friends, and your wand is neither in your pocket nor hand.' Harry was beginning to breathe heavily as the scenario played out in his head. Draco had fallen next to him in the sudden apparition and in a voice that sounded as if it had travelled through a tunnel, he could hear Dumbledore say 'kill the spare'.

Everything stopped for Harry in that moment and reality invaded the made-up scenario as he remembered that Dumbledore did not intend for Draco to survive the war.

Suddenly, the enemy was not Voldemort but his old mentor who deceived while his blue eyes twinkled jovially. A scene from a horrible future played in Harry's mind as he watched Draco's silver eyes dull to a washed-out grey and his hair fall lifelessly around his head.

In an angry haze, as Harry stared at the lifeless husk that had once been his beautiful dragon, he decided that Dumbledore needed to die. As if to respond to his will, Harry's magic reached out to everything around him and Dumbledore who had been calmly waiting to see if Harry would succeed heard a mad rushing as the water from the Great lake collided with the castle walls and attempted to break through to fulfil their master's desire.

The crush of the water on the walls rocked the castle and Dumbledore who had been unprepared for the impact fell on his back; worry gnawing at him as the relentless water battled with the castle wards for dominance. It felt like an eternity before the crushing stopped, but even that relief was short lived because the headmaster could now hear screams from all around the castle and lake creatures that had been ripped from their habitat suddenly.

In numb shock, Dumbledore looked in Harry's direction to find that he had collapsed, probably from magical drain. When he moved closer, he saw that the boy was crying and muttering something in his unconsciousness and he crept closer only to hear Harry repeat like a litany the one name that should not have been on his lips in that particular moment.

 _Draco...Draco...Draco...Draco...Draco...Draco…Draco…_

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello everyone. A lot of things happened that made me not update including catching malaria which I am still recovering from. Anyway, I am glad I got this out now, and I will definitely make it up to you lot with two or three chapters in the next week and a half. I hope you liked and enjoyed the chapter.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-one as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	31. The Bond and The Lord

**Author's Note:**

Hey people. It's been forever since I updated and I apologise for that. The end of the year is a super busy time, and I couldn't find a minute to edit and upload until I finished a project I have been working on for most of the year. Anyway, am here and I hope you are all still with me.

That said..., this chapter starts right after Harry accidentally caused the water from the Great Lake to bombard the castle. I hope you enjoy it...

 **Chapter 31-The Bond and The Lord**

Harry did not know whether he woke up to shouting or if it was the shouting that woke him but whatever the case, he was still annoyed that he was awake in the first place. Resigning himself to the fact that he would not be going back to sleep, he opened his eyes only to realise that he was not in his bedroom in the East Tower. He was in a white room with high ceilings, and it took him less than a second to realise that he was once again in the hospital wing. He tried sitting up on the bed only to fall back with a groan when every part of his body hurt at the slight movement. He felt like he usually did after spending an entire summer's day working in Aunt Petunia's garden at Privet Drive but he had no idea what had happened to make him this exhausted.

Frowning in confusion and unable to move, he directed his attention to the shouting that he could now tell was coming from a few meters to the right of his bed. The door to the infirmary was in that direction, and now that he was concentrating, he could recognise the loud voice as Ginny who was trying to gain admittance to the room, but for whatever reason, Madam Pomfrey was not having any of it.

'We have every right to see him.' Ginny was saying angrily, and Harry surmised that she had not come alone.

'Keep your voice down miss Weasley. 'The medi-witch said sternly, and there was no concealing the annoyance in her voice. 'Harry Potter is not the only student resting in the infirmary, and your shouting will not change my decision. He shall not receive any visitors until he has woken up and the headmaster has had a chance to speak with him.'

Harry frowned at that and hoped that someone would say something that would enlighten him as to what had happened to land him in the hospital wing.

'We are worried about him.' Hermione said pleadingly. 'A lot of people were hurt during the earthquake last night, and we want to make sure that Harry is alright.'

 _Earthquake?_ Harry wondered. There had not been a single earthquake in all the time that Harry had been at Hogwarts, and it somehow surprised him because he had always seen Hogwarts as a place that was removed from the rest of the world's ills. It was a safe place where things like earthquakes didn't occur, and from the tone of Hermione's voice, Harry could tell that the girl was also not convinced that the school had been affected by a force of nature. Her reasoning was probably due to something she had read in Hogwarts a History but having no such knowledge himself, Harry trusted his gut which was telling him that earthquakes did not naturally occur at Hogwarts. Something was going on here, but his memory would not bring up any information to explain the state of things to him

'I can assure you that Mr. Potter is fine and will be released in a matter of hours.' Madam Pomfrey told them. 'Classes have been cancelled for the day so that professors can assess the damage done to the castle and I urge you not to get in their way. Please return to your common room and wait for Mr. Potter there.' The medi-witch's tone said that there was no use for further argument and Harry sighed in relief when he heard faint footsteps walk away from the hospital wing and the woman close the door behind her.

He closed his eyes tiredly, hoping to sleep some more before he had to deal with whatever this was and that's when he felt it. It was a niggling itch at the back of his mind that reminded him of a buzzing fly that would not go away no matter how many times he swatted at it. At first, Harry did not know what it was, and unlike a physical fly, he could not swat it. At a loss for what to do, he focused all his attention on the feeling and to his surprise, he discovered a thread. The thread appeared to be made of spun gold and when he concentrated some more, he noted what seemed like electrical pulses travelling along the thread to and from his mind.

Harry did not know what to make of this, but something at the core of his being told him that the thread was nothing to be afraid of and he believed it. There was something pure and beautiful about the thread, and maybe irrationally, Harry felt that nothing that beautiful could ever be evil. Somehow, the moving pulses reminded Harry of when his wand and Voldemort's had connected at the graveyard in Little Hangleton only that he did not feel any danger or worry as he pushed one of the pulses further down the golden thread and away from his mind.

Draco was sitting on Severus couch with the potions master, Blaise, and Pansy when he felt something prod at his mind. It was nothing like the invasive feeling of legillimency, but there was no mistaking the feeling of something trying to access his mind. In wonder, he closed his eyes and tried to isolate the feeling and soon enough, he came across what looked like a golden thread. It was beautiful, and without fear, he let his consciousness connect to the thread allowing a pulse to touch his mind bringing with it one of the best feelings he had ever had in his life. He felt unexplainably happy, and Draco knew without a doubt that Harry was at the other end of the golden thread.

Draco had not seen Harry since dinner the previous evening, and he was more worried than he was letting on to his friends. He had overheard the Weasleys and Granger say that Harry was in the hospital wing but Madam Pomfrey had denied him access when he had gone to visit. Not even Severus- much to his chagrin- had been given entry into the hospital wing to see Harry which only increased Draco's worry for his husband. Pansy had been the one to suggest brewing some potions for Dragon World to get his mind off things but not even that was enough distraction to stop his worrying. Draco needed to know that Harry was alright and it frustrated and angered him that there was no way to find out. Later, Draco would discover that his desperation and desire to speak and see Harry had allowed their bond to create a mental connection but for now, he was just happy that Harry was alive.

 _I'm okay._ Harry said slowly when he felt the overwhelming worry coming from Draco. He could not tell you how he knew it was Draco but the moment his mind had touched the other boy's, he had felt a familiarity and recognition that he could only associate with Draco. The worry Draco felt for him made something tug in Harry's heart, and all he wanted to do at that moment was take the blonde in his arms and assure him that everything would be alright.

 _Am soo glad_ …Draco said in a voice that sounded chocked even to his own ears. _'Where are you?'_

 _In the hospital wing._ Harry answered.

 _What happened?_

 _I don't know._ Harry confided, and Draco frowned at the answer. _I have only just woken up and I haven't had a chance to speak to either Dumbledore or Madam Pomfrey._

 _You don't remember anything from last night_? Draco asked.

 _Nothing at…_ Harry's answer was interrupted by a yawn and Draco felt himself grow concerned again. _I don't remember what happened._

 _You should get some more rest Harry._ Draco advised. He could tell that Harry was very exhausted and no matter how much he wanted to continue talking with his husband, he did not want to tire him more than he already was.

 _Sorry, I am abit tired._ Harry agreed. _I will see you when I get out of here._

 _I will be waiting_. Draco said and just like that, he felt the connection dim and fade within his consciousness. He could tell that it was still there, but no matter how much he tried, he could not call it to the surface again. Deciding that he would research more into the matter when Harry woke up, he opened his eyes to find his friends looking at him with worried expressions on their faces.

'Is something the matter Draco?' Pansy asked.

'Nothing is wrong.' Draco answered and for the first time in hours, he smiled. A genuine smile that at once puzzled his friends but also one that made them happy that he was happy. 'Everything is just fine.'

'Did something happen?' Blaise asked although he could not guess at what had happened between then and a few minutes ago. Draco had been down, and nothing any of them could do would stop his worrying over Potter, so it seemed strange that he was suddenly happy for no discernible reason.

'Harry is fine.' Draco said with a beaming smile that made the others look at each other with concern.

'How would you know that?' Severus asked bravely. He had spent the last couple of hours inspecting the dungeons, and he knew with certainty that the earthquake explanation that the headmaster had given was a lie. Whatever had shaken the castle the previous night had to do with Harry Potter, but Severus had been unable to question the boy as yet.

'I cannot explain it; but just now, I could hear Potter in my mind, and he let me know that he is okay. He didn't get to tell me much because he was too fatigued and he fell back to sleep.'

Severus knew of bonds that formed a telepathic connection between the bondmates, but an elemental bond was not one of them. Elemental bonds were all about power, and because of that, they lacked the emotional aspect required for a telepathic connection. A telepathic connection should not have been possible between Harry and Draco but Severus was coming to accept that there was something very uncommon about the bond between the two. It was more than it seemed and he made a mental note to investigate it further before something unprecedented which could harm either Draco or Harry happened.

'Draco…' Severus began and did not continue until he was sure that he had his godson's full attention. 'You must be very careful not to mention anything about the mental connection to anyone outside of this room. You are smart enough to know that your bond with Potter is not behaving like an elemental bond...'

'I know.' Draco said seriously. He had known that for some time now. He had always had a feeling that theirs was not a bond that could be broken or ignored. They would be together for a long time, and he truly wanted things to be good between them.

'Make sure that Harry does not reveal this information to anyone including Dumbledore until we figure out the exact nature of your bond.' Draco nodded in acceptance of his godfather's reasoning and the tension that had accompanied the serious atmosphere dissipated.

'By the way, Draco, shouldn't you read that letter you received at breakfast?' Blaise reminded, and Draco quickly withdrew the letter from a pocket in his robes. His owl had delivered the letter just when they were leaving the Great Hall after breakfast, but Draco had been too preoccupied trying to find Harry that he had forgotten all about it.

He recognised the handwriting on the envelope as Bill's and methodically ripped it open to extract a single leaf of parchment that constituted the entire letter. The letter was only a few lines long and combined with the knowledge that Harry was okay, Draco could not help the grin that had stolen over his lips by the time he was done reading the note.

'Good news? Pansy asked, curiosity stealing into her voice and Draco smiled even wider.

'The best.' He answered, and the others looked at him in anticipation. 'Professor Lupin and the other werewolves have managed to track down a werewolf who was a Lord and a member of the Wizengamot before his turning. Bill and Remus will visit him today, and if everything goes well, we will soon have a Wizengamot member in the Grey Faction.'

After the initial round of excitement over the news, the four Slytherin members sat together in companionable silence as each thought of what would happen next. If everything went as planned, the Grey Faction would finally have a way into the politics of the England wizarding community without attracting attention to itself. Hopefully, this would be the beginning of bringing real change to the ministry and community as a whole.

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It took a long time, but when Remus and the other werewolves finally found them, the Berkley family was living in muggle London. Now, Bill and Remus tried and almost successfully managed to hide their dismay when they were finally admitted into the dismal apartment that the family shared. Before making any contact with the Berkley family, Remus had done some research and what he had found made him realise that no matter how bad his situation had been since he was turned into a werewolf, people like the Berkley's had had it worse, and he could not help but pity them.

The Berkley family had commanded almost as much wealth and prestige as the Malfoy family, but none of its power had been able to shield them once the family was attacked by a pack of werewolves over a decade ago. The wizarding world had eaten up the news with unholy glee, and almost overnight, the ministry of magic had stripped the family of their titles and wealth leaving the Berkleys to be pariahs in the society. Soon after, the family had disappeared, and no one had bothered to look for them until now.

Remus had found out that the former Lord Berkley had fled to the muggle world in search of a way to provide for his family. The man had found work as a zoo keeper which was fortunate since he had been deathly afraid that the walls of their small apartment would not hold two fully grown werewolves and two cubs on a full moon. Without other options, he had had to lock all of them in animal cages at the zoo during the full moon and hope that they would not break out and attack witless muggles in their wolf forms.

However, the woes of the Berkley family did not stop at losing all their wealth and place in the wizarding world because the youngest in the family of four did not survive the first full moon out in the muggle world. She was barely nine, and her body had been unable to handle the strain of turning without the proper potions that the family could no longer afford. It was a pitiful situation and the struggles of the past decade could clearly be seen on the former lady Berkley and her son Edwin Berkley who now sat across from Remus and Bill. With the death of his father two years back, Edwin Berkley had not only inherited his father's job at the zoo, but he would be Lord Berkley if and when the family returned to the wizarding world.

'We no longer have anything to do with the wizarding world.' Edwin Berkley said bitterly following an uncomfortable silence that neither Remus nor Bill had been willing to break. He had admitted the two men into his house out of curiosity since they had appeared desperate to speak to him, but whatever Edwin had expected, he had not thought that they would ask him and his mother to return to the wizarding world. He had been home from Hogwarts when his family was attacked, and when he allowed himself to think of the events that followed, he could not help the bitter anger he felt at the callous way that the wizarding world had reacted to their tragedy.

'You may not know this, but a cure for lycanthropy has been discovered.' Bill said, choosing to ignore the anger leaking out of the man in front of him.

While Edwin Berkley's eyes only hardened at the news, there was no concealing the hope that stole into his mother's eyes. She had been born to a wealthy pureblood family and married to another that was just as prestigious. Like all females in her position, she had never had to do any manual work, but with no warning, her world had changed, and she now found herself hopping between casual jobs that she would have thought lowly even for a house-elf. She would do anything to leave this life behind, and that determination was evident in her eyes as she looked at her son.

Although former Lady Edna Berkley still had an air of dignity and nobility about her, her clothes were discoloured and threadbare; her nails were chipped, and her hair and skin lacked the lustre associated with care. The apartment she lived in now was a long way from her previous manor, and looking at her, Bill truly felt the need to remove her from there. There was something about her that would not conform to the circumstances she had been thrust into, and Bill admired that in her.

'Currently, I am the only werewolf who has taken the cure.' Remus added attracting the attention of the two Berkley's. 'The cure is now available to the general public, and a lot of werewolves are scheduled to take it on the next full moon.'

'I represent the company that made the cure,' Bill continued. 'Our company has partnered with St. Mungos, and we have shared the cost of the cure's production. The inventor of the cure decided to give it away free of charge since no werewolf could afford to buy it even at ten galleons.'

Bill saw the surprise and hope on the Berkley's' faces when they heard that the cure was free and he could not help the pride that welled up in him. He had taken the job at Dragon World for excitement, but it had turned out to be more than he could ever have hoped for. He liked that he was the one who got to inform people like the Longbottom's and Berkley's that there was hope for them where none had existed before. It was fulfilling, and he thanked Merlin that he had decided to approach Draco that first time in the East tower.

'I doubt you are going to every werewolf's door to tell them about the cure.' Edwin stated after a few moments of silence. He had not survived in the muggle world for soo many years by being stupid, and he had no intention of starting now. His instincts told him to take the cure at whatever cost, but a more rational part of his brain told him that he needed to know why the two men had come personally to him.

'No, we are not visiting all the werewolves.' Bill confirmed. 'I will be candid with you because we are hoping you could be of some help to us in the future.'

'That is the only way I would agree to help if I was in a position to.' Edwin Berkley said without bothering to hide the suspicion in his voice.

'I work for a new company called Dragon World.' Bill started. 'My employer is a genius who has managed to come up with several products that have taken the wizarding world-both England and abroad by storm. However, he cannot be the face of the company because he comes from a family that has a certain reputation. As you know, England is at war, and he is not accepted by either the light or the dark. As it is, he has started a Grey Faction for people who don't fit anywhere else and for people who don't want to fight. He has taken in vampires and werewolves, given them work and provided them with an honest way to live. He has asked us to find you and solicit your help, but you will receive the cure no matter what you decide.'

Edwin's eyes narrowed even more with suspicion, 'what is it you want from me?'

'Once you take the cure, we want you to reclaim your lordship and take back your seat in the Wizengamot.' Bill said, and Edna Berkley let out a small startled cry.

'How? What are you even talking about?' Edwin asked in shock. He had never held the hope of ever going back to the wizarding world let alone taking back everything that had once belonged to his family.

'After you take the cure, you will petition the ministry to return your confiscated properties and title.' Bill explained. 'Our solicitor has looked into it, and because the possibility of a lycanthropy cure has never been feasible before, the ministry has never taken any steps to ensure that cured werewolves cannot reclaim their properties and titles. It requires a lot of hard work, but it is possible for you and other werewolves to get back what you once lost.'

'Why is it important for me to reclaim my Lordship and Wizengamot seat?' Edwin asked. 'I may have once wanted to go into politics like my ancestors before me but it has been a long time since then, and a lot of things have changed.'

'I understand your reluctance, but I still hope that you will be able to help us.' Bill said, and with a questioning look from Edwin Berkley, he continued. 'The Grey Faction we have established has no allies on the Wizengamot, and because of that, there is not much we can do to change some of the things that need changing. Once on the Wizengamot, you and by extension, the Grey Faction will have a say in the politics of Wizarding England. For example, we plan to petition for more rights for magical beings, but we have no ally on the Wizengamot to petition it. We need someone who is not already allied with either of the other sides, and we are hoping that you can be that person.'

Edwin Berkley didn't know what to say. This offer sounded too good to be true, and he had learned not to trust people. He wanted to say 'no,' but the word stuck in his throat every time he thought of the past decade. Edwin was not blind to the fact that his family had never been one to be concerned with the disadvantaged but things had changed, and he had learned the hard way that the only constant in life is change. He did not want to get involved, but something in him would not let him give up this chance to change the wizarding world into something better than what it was.

'I want to meet this mysterious inventor.' He finally said and looked at Bill and Remus in a way that suggested that that was the only way that he would even consider being part of their faction.

'It's impossible at the moment.' Bill answered truthfully. He knew that Draco did not want his identity to become common knowledge, but there was something about Edwin Berkley that warned him that half-truths and obscurities would not be viewed kindly. The Grey faction needed the man, and as such, he deserved the truth. 'He is a student at Hogwarts, and school is still in session.'

Edwin's mouth fell open at that.

'Are you saying that a Hogwarts' student created a cure for lycanthropy?' Edna Berkley spoke for the first time.

'That; and the cure for the effects of the cruciatus curse, a spell capable of repelling legillimency, and many more potions and spells.'

'You weren't joking when you said he was a genius?' Edwin asked, still in shock from the discovery.

'No.' Bill answered.

'Is this child trustworthy?' He directed this question to Remus, and he stared at him in a way that suggested he was trying to look into the former werewolf's soul.

'When I first met him, I thought he was exactly like his family, but as time went by, I realised that something was very different about him. I did not know until recently what was different, and that's why I have entrusted my fellow werewolves to him.' Remus explained and there was a sadness in his eyes as he recalled everything he had learnt about Draco Malfoy.

'What was your reason? 'Edna Berkley asked.

'He is a child who has known more suffering than any human being should.' Remus said, and Bill looked at him in understanding. 'He is also a child who found himself between a hard and a harder place and is somehow managing to save not only himself but others. With his abilities, he could have simply saved himself but he cares about people because he understands their suffering. Both sides of the war are itching to get their hands on him but he won't choose either because he has been a victim of both sides and he can trust neither. He is a person you can put your trust in without worry.'

'I see.' Edwin said thoughtfully. 'I will trust your judgment for the time being, but I will withhold my final judgment until I have a chance to speak with him face to face.'

'That is as it should be.' Bill agreed with a smile.

'What now?' Edwin asked.

'Now, you pack everything you want to take with you, and we will take you back to the wizarding world.' Bill said.

'We have nothing in the wizarding world.' Edna stated mournfully.

'Until you take the cure on the full moon, you will stay in a temporary house we are using, but after you take it, you can go to Dragon castle.' Bill said. 'You can't go right away because there are vampires there and wolves are their natural enemies. There will be no problems afterward, and you will find the vampires likable even. My employer has created a potion to help them walk in the sun, and they have mellowed quite a lot. You can stay there until you get your properties back or until you decide to leave.' Bill continued.

'What are we to do in the meantime?' Edwin asked.

'Re-accustom yourself with wizarding England's laws, history, and politics because you will need to call upon such knowledge soon.' Bill said. 'A lot has changed in the wizarding world since you left.'

'What about mother?'

'If things are to change, you must both command equal or more influence than you previously had and for that, Lady Edna must become a society leader once again. At the moment, everyone is doing whatever they want without regard for anyone else, and it cannot continue. Politicians are given positions only if they are pliable enough to bend with every wind; people are sent to Azkaban with no trial, dementors used for personal errands, the ministry taking control of Hogwarts, the daily prophet is a work of fiction rather than a paper of truth…, the list goes on.' Bill said. 'The wizarding world as a whole does not win no matter who wins this war if neither side is willing to change the way the crucial institutions of wizarding England are led. All the ministries we approached about the lycanthropy cure accepted a 50-50 cost-sharing deal with Dragon World but the English ministry refused, and it was only because St. Mungos agreed that we managed to produce as many cures as we have. Things need to change, and we have resolved ourselves to change them. If you decide to join us, we will expect the same resolve and commitment for change from you.'

Edna Berkley's back straightened, and Edwin couldn't remember the last time he had seen his mother take such a light in her eyes. The hardships and losses of the last few years had all but robbed her of life but this, whatever this was, was giving it back. If only for that reason, he would have joined the movement or whatever the Grey faction was, but as it stood, he had also been moved. He did not want to live in a world that destroyed lives as the wizarding world had theirs, and if he could help make a better world, he would. He would keep a close eye though because even good intentions could go wrong and he did not want to be remembered as one of the pioneers of a period of darkness for the wizarding world.

Taking the last remaining mementos of their previous life and family, the Berkleys' left for the wizarding world. They had resolved to leave their shame in their shared little flat in muggle England, and go back to wizarding England as the only living members of the proud line of Berkley that had survived for 600 years.

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Draco received the good news that evening and immediately sent an owl to Madame Jeannette. Her services would be needed in five days-time to outfit a man, and a woman of most importance-her complete discretion was needed. She sent back a reply saying that Mr Malfoy would receive the best of her services at the highest discretion.

Jeannette didn't know what all this was about, but she was not paid so highly to ask questions, so she began clearing her schedule for the promised day. She cancelled and postponed appointments and then began going through her catalogue to make fabric and cut choices. She had to be careful because she had not been warned about age, coloration, size or anything of her intended important clients. The only thing Mr. Malfoy had said was that someone would come to fetch her at 10 a.m. on the promised day and she should be ready for a long day of work. She would have to go alone, but she had no fear, young Draco Malfoy would not steer her wrong.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello again. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter although there was not much Drarry in it. Expect some quality time between our boys soon.

Anyway, the holidays are here, and I will try to upload as many chapters as I can before my work becomes busy again in April. Please look forward to that.

Lastly, I want to wish all of you happy holidays. Please take care of yourselves during this time.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-two as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	32. The Easter Holidays

**Author's Note:**

Hello everyone. I hope you all had good holidays. Without further ado, here is chapter 32. I hope you enjoy it.

 **Chapter 32-The Easter Holidays**

'Mr Malfoy, what you have requested is simply not possible.' Dumbledore said more out of habit than anything else. At some point, it had become the natural thing to do to say no to the young Malfoy and to be honest; he was much too busy to give the issue any real thought at the moment. The exchange students would be arriving at Hogwarts in two weeks, and there was much that needed to be done before then.

'I am only asking to go for Easter holidays like everybody else.' Draco said trying not to show the exasperation and desperation he felt. 'I haven't been allowed out of the castle for a long time, and even when I was, I had to be around hostility the entire Christmas break. Even I deserve some moments of peace away from this place.'

'…. that may be true Mr Malfoy, but we do not know what the dark lord plans and we cannot take the risk of him knowing more than he does or getting his hands on you now that you are Harry's bonded.'

'What exactly can he find out from me? Draco argued. 'I know nothing of your precious Order of the Phoenix, and even if I did, I have already made the decision not to pick sides in this war. I have every intention despite your best efforts; to survive this war and I highly doubt that associating at whatever lengths with the dark lord will help much with my survival.'

'He is right Albus; it would do no harm to let him go home for the Easter holidays.' Remus said, and Draco was hard pressed not smile at the man in gratitude.

'….and where exactly is your home Mr Malfoy?' Dumbledore asked, and there was no hiding the curiosity and frustration in his twinkling blues. Draco knew that the Order had been trying in vain to investigate him and was it not for the fact that he did not want to aggravate the headmaster further at that very moment, he would have rubbed their faces in the failure.

The goblins at Gringotts had done a better job than expected to follow his instructions and maintain his privacy but Draco could not help but wonder at their motives. Goblins were rarely loyal to a wizard, and he had expected that they would eventually trade his information for something but that had not happened yet. Draco was no fool, and he very much doubted that the Goblins were loyal to him just for the ethics of it, but he did not care about that now. He would cross that bridge when he got there; for now, he was just glad that Dumbledore did not know of Dragon World or the truth about the Grey Faction.

'I am sure you can understand my reluctance to share that information with you.' Draco finally answered when he noticed that everyone was looking at him in expectation.

'Then I am sure you can understand our reluctance to allow you to run around with no supervision in a place we do not know.' Sirius Black said with a finality that suggested that the matter was closed and they should move on to more pressing topics of discussion.

'What if he had supervision?' Snape asked suddenly.

'What are you suggesting Severus? Dumbledore asked with narrowed eyes.

'Mr Malfoy is not only my student, but he is also my godson. I doubt there is anyone more qualified to supervise his time away from Hogwarts.' Severus said and looked at Dumbledore straight in the eye hoping that the old man would misconstrue his suggestion as an offer to spy on Draco.

'I don't know about this Severus.' Dumbledore said although he was loath to pass the chance up. If there was anyone who could get information from Malfoy, it was Severus, but Dumbledore could not afford to let the man leave the castle at such a crucial time. There were wards to be put up, schedules to be examined and a whole load of things to be done before the end of the Easter break. Dumbledore had been hoping to enlist the potions master's help in getting things ready especially in some of the more sensitive tasks he could not entrust to the rest of Hogwarts' teachers.

'I think you should let him go.' Harry said with an internal sigh of resignation and continued before he lost his resolve. 'Both Malfoy and I need some time apart.'

When Harry and Draco had been summoned to the headmaster's office to make arrangements for the Easter holidays, Harry had not expected Draco to ask for permission to leave the castle. However, now that he thought about it, it shouldn't have been a surprising development. Draco had always been the type to go home for every holiday and considering what Draco had been through the past couple of months; Harry could understand the blonde's need to be away from Hogwarts for the two weeks Easter break. In all honesty, he would have liked not to be separated from Draco for a whole two weeks, but he could see even if no one else could that Draco really wanted to go home and just take a break from everything. There is not much that Harry had been able to do for or give Draco over the months and he was determined to let him have this despite his feelings over the matter.

Harry knew he would miss Draco terribly when he was away, but this also gave them space to think things through especially after the last several days following Harry's accidental magic. When Harry woke up for the second time after awakening his elemental water magic, he had remembered everything including what Dumbledore had said to set him and his magic into such a fury. His first instinct had been to confront and rage against Dumbledore, but he had realised fast enough that that was no longer an option. Now, he knew that Draco Malfoy had somehow become the most important person in his life but with that knowledge also came the realisation that he was not strong enough to protect him so he had refrained reacting in any way that would endanger Draco.

Harry did not doubt that he was magically more powerful than both Voldemort and Dumbledore, but he lacked the experience and knowledge that they had. There was also the issue of foreign students coming to Hogwarts for a reason he did not fully understand yet and knowing all that; he could not bring himself to put Draco in more danger than he already was in.

Harry loved Draco, of that he was sure and the telepathy thing that had happened when he was in the hospital wing had brought them even closer. However, the true nature of their relationship would have to remain hidden in the confines of the East tower for now. He wanted nothing more than to officially break things off with Ginny and get together with Draco, but he could not do it and risk Draco being the one to suffer the consequences. For now, he would train with Dumbledore like he had been doing for months and when he was certain that he could protect Draco from both Dumbledore and Voldemort, he would be free to announce to the world that he loved Draco and could not imagine spending his life with anyone else.

'I am sure professor Snape can handle Malfoy if he decides to take advantage of this time away from the castle to do something against the Order.' Harry added hoping that Dumbledore would just agree already because he did not think he could keep his true feelings hidden for much longer. It was hard to say that he wanted Draco to be gone when all he wanted was to hole up with him in the East tower for the duration of the break.

'I agree with Harry.' Nymphadora Tonks said much to everyone's surprise. She, Remus, Sirius, and Severus had been in Dumbledore's office when Harry and Draco had arrived, and although Draco had never associated with his cousin before; at that moment, he was glad that she was there. For whatever reason, she was supporting him on this, and he could not help but be grateful.

'Very well.' Albus said as he cast a suspicious look at the pink haired Auror. He did not think that her support of Malfoy in this matter was a result of familial loyalty, but he had not failed to notice that something had changed with the girl in the last couple of months. Nymphadora Tonks despite her clumsiness had always been a good soldier who carried out his orders without needing many explanations, but lately, she had been questioning his orders more often than not which was seriously beginning to annoy the headmaster. Sighing and deciding to get to the bottom of Nymphadora's attitude later, he continued. 'When the Easter holidays begin in three days, I will allow Severus to accompany you Mr Malfoy, and if he at any point decides that you cannot be trusted, he will bring you back. I advise you not to abuse the trust and privilege I am extending to you.'

Draco had to almost physically restrain himself from sneering at that. The hypocrisy of it irked him more than he showed but instead, he nodded and waited for the man to continue because he seemed to have a lot more in mind.

'I would prefer if the students and by extension Voldemort do not find out that you will be away from the protection of the castle for the two weeks. Therefore, for five minutes on the morning of the first day of Easter break, I will connect your residence floo to Hogwarts to allow you and Severus to travel.'

Draco almost laughed at that. Did Dumbledore think he was a fool who would carelessly disclose his floo address which could then be used to track his movements and directly lead to the location of Dragon castle? It was an absurd proposition, and Draco heard Harry snort in amusement from his place beside him.

'I apologise professor, but I would prefer to use a portkey or apparition. Professor Snape should be able to arrange either of those moments before we are scheduled to leave on that morning.'

'I see.' Albus was not pleased about that, but he was not discouraged either. No matter what method of travel the boy insisted upon, Severus would eventually know the location which he would then relay to him thereafter. For now, Malfoy was not a priority, so he let the matter go in favour of moving the conversation along. 'You will have to leave very early in the morning before everyone else so that no one will find out that you are out of the castle.'

Draco nodded and stood up once he noticed the sign of his dismissal. He walked out of the office, and because Harry had been asked to stay back, he headed back to the East tower to wait for the dark-haired Gryffindor.

Harry walked in almost a half hour later and no matter his apprehension about being away from Draco for two weeks; he could not help but feel pleased with his decision to convince Dumbledore when he saw the happy grin on Draco's face. It was soo rare to see Draco looking genuinely happy, and it made Harry want to spend all his time trying to keep that happy look on the other boy's face. The moment the door closed behind him, Draco grabbed Harry and kissed him so tenderly that Harry let out an involuntary sigh of nostalgia when the Slytherin pulled away.

'Thank you.' Draco said as they pulled apart.

'It was nothing.' Harry said dismissively, but they both knew that he could have chosen not to intervene for Draco. Draco would have been disappointed at being unable to go to Dragon castle for the break, but deep down, he would not have minded it very much. In all honesty, he would have preferred to spend the time with Harry, but there were things that they both needed to do away from each other.

The headmaster had told the school about the exchange program starting in two weeks, but something about it did not sound to Draco as simple as Dumbledore had sold it to be. No matter how much he thought about it, having a schools' exchange program right when the England wizarding community was about to go to war was an incomprehensible decision. Harry seemed to know more about what was happening than he was letting on, but Draco did not want to ask him because he figured that Harry would tell him when he could.

Like Harry, he could feel the change that had happened over their relationship since their mind connection a few days back. They had not been able to bring the connection back up again, but they had both walked away from the experience knowing that the other cared about them more than they were admitting. Draco did not know what Harry's reasons were, but for him, he knew that he would need to speak to Harry about everything that had happened to him over the years and even everything that was happening now and that was a conversation he was dreading. Harry already had an inkling about what Draco had gone through at Voldemort's hands so Draco did not think that the Gryffindor would reject him when he found out about everything else but the thought of opening up about everything was still a scary prospect to him. Anyway, now was not the time to have that conversation, so he turned his mind back to the situation at hand.

'I will show you what is the least I can do to show my gratitude. 'Draco said with a smile as he dragged Harry to their bedroom where he proceeded to show Harry just how much he appreciated him.

Much later after they had woken up from their exhausted sleep, Draco sent a letter to Marina informing her that he would be able to go home for the Easter holidays after all and asked her to call a Faction meeting to be held in six days. While Draco was doing all this, Harry looked on, and although his curiosity was pushing him to investigate the matter, he forced himself not to pry. Harry knew that it was not a lack of trust that prevented them from being completely open about all their affairs with each other but deep-seated confidence that neither would do anything to hurt the other at this point.

It would have been the romantic thing to do to open up about everything at this moment in time, but they both knew that their lives were not some fairy tale like one would read in a book. Love would not fix all the problems in their world and because they knew that, they were both consciously deciding to continue down their chosen paths and hope that their paths would meet and become one at a point in their near future. Harry would defeat Voldemort and Draco would lay down the means to protect all beings in the wizarding world including those that have historically been disadvantaged and together they would begin remaking the wizarding world into what it should have been all along. At that time when their paths merged, there would no longer be need of secrets between them, and they would be forever destined to walk the same path.

With this thought in mind, Harry and Draco chose to trust without resentment and for the few days leading to the Easter break, they spent all the time they could in their rooms. When the morning of Draco's departure arrived, Harry went with him to the Hogwarts gates where they had arranged to meet with Severus. It was 5 a.m in the morning, and it would have been easier for Harry to remain in bed but both had wanted to prolong the moment of their parting for as long as they could. They walked in the cold morning, Draco's left hand interlaced tightly with Harry's right one; and as they walked, both knew that they would do anything and everything possible to make sure that they could be with each other for a long time to come.

Severus was already waiting at the gate when they got there, and he did not miss their clutched hands but chose not to say anything about the matter.

'Are you ready to go?' the man asked his godson, and Draco nodded before turning to Harry.

'I will see you in two weeks, Harry.' He said.

'Don't miss me too much darling.' The raven said back teasingly and kissed the Slytherin before he let go of the other's hand.

'I will try not to.' Draco answered with a smile that was barely visible in the poor morning light.

For a long time after Draco and Severus had left, Harry continued to stare at the place they had apparated from, and it was only after the wet air began to sip into his cloak that he began the long trek back to the castle. By the time he had taken a shower and gone down to breakfast, Harry had hardened his determination. This two weeks away from Draco would be used to train and spend time with the Gryffindor's even though he did not want. More than ever, Harry now had someone that he was unwilling to lose and to protect Draco's life and happiness, he would appear to be Dumbledore's perfect boy who lived, but that was only until he was strong enough to ensure that he could protect Draco from anything.

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After he bought Dragon castle, Draco had asked the goblins to set up more wards on the property and only he was allowed to apparate directly within the property. With Severus side-along apparating him, they were able to apparate straight into the castle's foyer, and Draco's first sight of his new home took his breath away. Although he had not shown it, not being able to visit the castle that he now called home had affected him, but all that was gone at first glance.

Over the weeks, Marina had sent him wizarding photos of the different rooms, and he had come up with redecorating concepts which he was now happy to see Marina had managed to carry out. With a smile as he looked around, he could not help thinking that he needed to pay her more. Marina Vaugh Clark had turned out to be an excellent solicitor, and he doubted that he would have managed to accomplish half of what he had were it not for her. She was an uncommon gem, and Draco hoped that they would continue to have the same cordial relationship in the future.

'Welcome home master Draco.' A squeaky voice uttered pulling Draco from his musing of his first glimpse of Dragon castle. He turned to see Biddy leading a small army of house-elves into the room. She more than anyone had been ecstatic to know that her master Draco had bought a house and were it not for the fact that he still needed her at Hogwarts, she would have moved to Dragon castle right away.

'I am home Biddy.' Draco said.

'Biddy is introducing the other elves to master.' The little one said proudly, and Draco had to smile at that as she motioned to one of the others to come forward. 'This here is Noku master Draco, he is the head elf before the master is buying Dragon castle.'

'Noku is pleased to serve one as noble as Master Draco Malfoy.' Noku the elf said as he bowed in a way that reminded Draco of a highly trained butler. It was not common to have human butlers in England wizarding homes, but many wizarding families trained their house-elves for many roles including butlers and valets.

'It is good to meet you Noku.' Draco said and the elf teared up at that. The introductions went on for a while, and when Draco thanked them for agreeing to stay in the castle even after it had changed masters, they cried so much and extolled his kindness that Draco could feel his cheeks burning up in embarrassment.

Unbeknownst to Draco, the newest arrivals to Dragon castle had been quietly watching the scenario unfold, and they released a breath of relief that they had been unaware that they were holding. Edna and Edwin Berkley had arrived at the castle only the day before, and after finding out that their benefactor would be able to come to the castle much sooner than expected, they had decided to wake up early and greet him the moment he arrived. It was mostly because they were grateful that they had wanted to meet and thank him right away, but they had also wanted to observe him and ascertain what kind of person he was. This time as they watched the interaction, it was with a smile on their faces because the first observance of the boy revealed a lot more about his character than words could have revealed.

'Biddy is making sure that all the elves know how to take care of my master Draco until Biddy can do it herself.' The elf said proudly and a bit sadly because she had to return to Hogwarts rather than stay and take care of Draco herself.

'I am sure they will do just fine Biddy.' Draco assured her and Noku straightened his back at the new master's confidence in their abilities. 'You have to go back to Hogwarts before the other elves realise you are missing.'

'Yes, master Draco.' The elf said and disapparated with a crack.

'Good morning Mr Malfoy.' Draco almost gave himself whiplash when he turned too fast trying to find the owner of the voice.

'Lord Berkley, Lady Edna,' Draco called with a slight bow at the people who now stood in front of him. 'It's so good to finally meet you. This is my godfather Severus Snape.' Draco said and Severus who had remained silent the entire time stepped forward.

'Lord Berkley, Lady Edna.' The man said and like Draco; gave a slight bow to the two. It was a customary way of acknowledgement, and although Severus had not assumed his Prince lordship yet, he was still careful to follow the accepted rules of etiquette.

'We are not that yet, but it's good to meet you too.' Edwin Berkley said acknowledging the fact that they were yet to get back their titles and properties.

'If it's not much trouble, shall we have an early breakfast before you rest?' Lady Edna said, much like the society lady she had been raised to be.

'That would be lovely.' Draco said with a smile. 'Fani, can you see if Mr Slater is awake and ask him if he would be kind enough to join us for breakfast.'

'Right away master.' One of the elves Draco had been introduced to said and left.

'Teru will take Master Malfoy's and Master Snape's things to their rooms.' Another elf said, and Draco and Severus handed over their shrunken luggage to the elf.

After that, Noku led the way into a breakfast room where Draco sat at the head of the table and Severus to his left while the Berkley's sat on his right. Slater walked in a few minutes later just when Draco was serving himself some coffee which he was happy to note was his preferred brew.

'We meet at last.' The vampire said the moment he got into the room. He was a devilishly handsome man like all vampires tended to be, and he had an open smile that made people want to smile back at him.

'It's been months since you sent me that letter wanting to join the Grey Faction and I am honoured to finally meet you.' Draco said with a smile of his own as he stood up to greet the man. When they had all the pleasantries out of the way, Slater sat down next to Severus.

'From your letters, you didn't sound as if you would be able to leave Hogwarts anytime soon.' Slater said.

'He only barely got permission to leave, and only because Potter backed him up.' Severus added in.

'Yes, Dumbledore would not let me out of his sight if he could.' Draco said. 'It's because Harry made it seem like he also needed time away from me that they allowed me to leave and only with supervision from Severus.'

'Potter? Harry Potter helped you?' Edwin Berkley asked with a frown. 'But why? Isn't he an enemy from Dumbledore's side?'

'I have also been having trouble understanding this relationship the two of you have formed.' Snape said, and Draco smiled. 'I know for sure that he has seen you have meetings with Lovegood and write letters to the Faction, but he never reports it. Every time he is asked, he always reports that he knows that you are up to something, but he hasn't seen you meet with anyone besides Zabini and Parkinson and that you don't receive or write letters at odd hours.'

Draco laughed at that, and the others looked at him weirdly. 'It's because Harry is a genuinely good person.' He finally said.

'What does that mean?' Edwin asked.

'He is giving me a chance at survival.' Draco explained. 'His sense of right and wrong does not agree with the order's intention to kill or imprison me after the war just so he and Ginevra can be the poster couple for the next generation. In the beginning, he thought we would both go our separate ways after the war; it was a shock to him to realise that he was one of few people who thought that that was what would happen.'

'He is definitely like that.' Severus agreed. 'Harry Potter has never learnt to distrust people so when the people he cares for betray his expectations, it always comes as a surprise to him.'

'He must have led a privileged life.' Edwin sneered.

'No, he hasn't.' Draco said seriously. Harry may not have said much about his childhood, but Draco could tell that life hadn't been as easy for Harry as most people thought it had been. 'He hasn't lived a privileged life, but he is the sort to expect goodness from people because he is inherently good. Harry is naïve of the true ugliness of the world, but that quality of his is why he can be a hero to the people. Most of us are jaded, and we expect the worst of people. People like him are rare, and that's why the wizarding world can look up to him with hope. Because of how and who he is, most of the wizarding world will follow him to the end of this war.'

'What you are saying is that for as long as you do not do anything that will hurt people, Potter will not report on you?' Slater asked returning to the original line of query.

'Yes.' Draco agreed. 'He doesn't want me to die. Although he may try, he knows that he can't protect me from everything so he is trusting me to take care of myself where he can't.'

'It's the only thing he can do.' Snape said. 'When it comes down to it, Dumbledore and most of the order like to think that they know what is best for Potter and he is always kept in the dark until it's too late. Even if he asks them to leave you be, they will probably just ignore him and do what they think is best for him.'

'He is getting smarter about things though. If I am not mistaken, he has already realised the true position he is in, and I doubt very much he will allow himself to be in that disadvantageous position for much longer.' Draco said with a smile. 'He must be spending too much time with me because he is learning subterfuge.' They all laughed a little at that before Draco continued.

'Do you have any idea when the clansmen we sent to China will be back with the ingredients?' He asked Slater.

'As a matter of fact, they should be back within the week.' The man answered with confidence.

'That's good news.' Draco said. 'I want to do as much as I can before I head back to Hogwarts.'

'What's this about China?' Edwin asked.

'Several of my clansmen went to China to gather chilling grass.' Slater answered. 'Mr Malfoy needs it for a potion.'

'Please call me Draco.' Draco said to the gathered people, and they nodded in acceptance of his request.

'Chilling grass….'Edwin said with a contemplative expression on his face. 'If I remember correctly, it is the substance with the lowest temperature on earth.'

'Yes,' Snape confirmed and then turned his attention to Draco. 'You haven't told me what you need this grass for Draco; it's a dangerous ingredient to handle at best.'

'I found a way to use the chilling grass to affect the hypothalamus and cells of a vampire which will make their bodies permanently able to regulate their temperature even under direct sunlight.' He explained. 'I will explain the technicalities to you later.' Severus nodded in agreement to that.

'Speaking of which,' this time he addressed Slater. 'I have a theory, and I need your cooperation to confirm it.'

'How may I be of help?' The handsome vampire asked.

'I have a few questions first.' He waited for the man to nod before going on. 'Are all vampire mates originally human?' He asked.

'Yes.' Slater said, and Draco smiled brilliantly.

'Do you think your clansmen would be agreeable to giving me vials of their mates' blood?' Slater looked at him apprehensively with questions in his eyes. 'I have a theory which if proven correct will allow vampires to live freely without being harassed or segregated by the wizarding world.'

'What are you talking about Draco?' Slater asked urgently, not daring to hope.

'After reading all the information you sent me about vampire feeding habits and trends, I saw a common pattern. Shockingly, there is a condition that some humans have that closely follows a vampire's feeding trends. If I can confirm that vampire mates have the faulty gene that causes this condition, there will be a clear way for vampires to live better than they have been for centuries.' Draco said. 'I don't want to go into details until I confirm this.'

'If the blood can help you help us, I will bring it to you after breakfast.' Draco nodded gratefully at Slater's words.

'I will need your help with this Severus.' Draco said to his godfather. 'I want to have the results by the time we hold the Faction meeting in a few days.'

'What do you need?' Snape asked.

'We need to test all the blood for the HFE gene.' Severus' mouth fell open at Draco's words.

'Oh, my Merlin….,'he stammered. 'If it's there, this will truly mean a new beginning for the vampire race.'

'Exactly.'

'Is there any way we can help?' Edna Berkeley asked.

'There is someone coming for you tomorrow, but until then, it is best you continue to acquaint yourselves with what you have missed over the years.' The Berkley's agreed, and after breakfast, Draco was shown to his room by Noku where he sat thinking until Slater brought the requested blood at 9 a.m.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello again. I hope you all liked and enjoyed chapter 32.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-three as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	33. Arrivals

**Chapter 33-Arrivals**

At precisely 10 a.m. on the promised day, the door to Jeannette's Robes' Shop for the Fashionable Witch and Wizard opened to admit one of the most handsome persons that the shop owner had ever seen in her life. Madame Jeannette had just finished counterchecking the instructions that her assistants would follow for the day, and when the door opened, she closed the appointment book and grabbed the travel cloak that was laying on the counter next to her.

'I presume you are the one meant to collect me?' She asked as she looked the man over. His clothes were several seasons out of fashion, but they fit him soo beautifully that the artist in her was hard pressed not to push him to the changing rooms and force him into something from her new collection. He certainly had the body and poise to pull of any of her most elaborate designs.

As if he knew what the clothes' maker was thinking, Slater smiled at the woman and spoke in answer to her question.

'Yes, I am. Mr Malfoy asked me to collect you at exactly 10 a.m. You may call me Slater.' Slater said and extended his hand for her to shake.

'Are you ready to leave?' He asked once they had gotten the pleasantries out of the way.

'I am.' The elegant woman answered and looked at the man expectantly. She knew neither her destination nor the mode of travel they would use so she was relying on her escort to take the lead.

'Let's get going then.' The vampire said and began walking outside expecting the older woman to follow which she did. Once they were one meter or so away from the door of the shop, Slater offered his arm to Madame Jeannette who took it as she realised that they would be apparating to wherever she was supposed to go. It was not uncommon for her clients to want her to visit their homes but this was the first time that she was allowing a stranger to transport her to a location that she did not know beforehand.

Once Madame Jeannette's arm was on Slater's arm, he turned on the spot, and in a moment, they reappeared in-front of one of the most majestic and imposing gates she had ever seen which was saying something since she had been to many of the aristocratic homes in England. The gate itself was made of simple bars of metal which were painted black, but the design etched at the very centre was soo intricate and detailed that Madame Jeannette immediately knew that it must have been done by either a goblin or a dwarf. The design was a single majestic dragon whose wings and body were spread out to make a sort of M, and she almost stepped back in fear because the creature seemed to come to life the closer they got to it.

'Don't worry; he won't attack guests.' Slater said, but his reassurance did not do anything to extinguish Jeannette's nerves. Animating statues, paintings and other pieces of art was not uncommon in the wizarding world, but people generally stayed away from dragons, basilisks and some other such creatures because they tended to be unpredictable and uncontrollable.

'May I know where I am?' She asked as she stared at the crest design. The design on the gate was somewhat similar to the Malfoy crest, but it was not the same which made Jeannette realise that she had not been brought to the Malfoy Estate as she had half expected.

'This is the residence of one Draco Malfoy.' Slater informed her as he placed his hand on the gate which shimmered momentarily before creating an opening for them to pass through.

In all honesty, Madame Jeannette was shocked, but she did not allow the shock to register on her features. The Malfoy family's goblin account manager had contacted her to close the young heir's account in her shop the moment his marriage to Harry Potter had become public knowledge. However, since Draco Malfoy had neither stopped his purchases nor defaulted on any payments, Jeannette had assumed that he had some galleons saved up but the first sight of the humongous estate made her think that maybe it was more than just savings.

The grounds were beautifully designed and maintained, and the castle that stood at the end of the long driveway stole her breath away. The building was entirely done in cream except for the roof which was made of what appeared to be red bricks. The most impressive part of it though was the many turrets that rose up high into the sky and the gigantic sculpture of a dragon that stood majestically on the peak of the tallest one. By whatever magic, she could see the dragon circle the peak now and then as if it was keeping an eye on the entire estate.

Slater smiled when he saw her reaction but said nothing about it. Everybody reacted the same way at their first sight of the castle but either way, it never ceased to impress no matter how many times you saw it.

They walked in silence as Jeannette took in the sights and even she who was disinclined to live outside the city was charmed. The place was beautiful, and it seemed so removed from the world outside that she was almost convinced that time moved at a slower pace within the grounds than it did outside. Faster than she would have liked, they arrived at the huge oak doors that guarded the castle, and a house-elf opened the doors which was fortunate because Jeannette could not see any discernible knocker.

'Noku is to be taking your cloaks.' The elf said, and Madame Jeannette handed over her travelling cloak while Slater retained his implying that he did not plan to go within the castle at that precise moment.

'Noku, lead Madame Jeannette to where they are waiting.' Slater told the elf when he returned from storing the cloak. 'Tell your master that I am expecting more arrivals within the day.'

The elf bowed deeply to both Slater and Madame Jeannette and began leading the way to where he knew his master and the other guests were waiting. Jeannette followed the elf, occasionally stopping to admire the artwork displayed along the hallways but she did not allow herself to linger for long because she was curious to find out who the mysterious guests she would be clothing were.

After walking for about five minutes, they came to a stop in front of a door which opened to a wide parlour where several people were already seated. She recognised young Draco Malfoy from the get go and almost did a double take when she recognised one of the other occupants of the room.

 _'_ _Is that Lady Edna Berkeley?'_ She thought excitedly, and only her good manners prevented her from gaping in both shock and excitement.

'Madame Jeannette, thank you for coming.' Draco said, a knowing smile on his lips when he noticed the lady's well-hidden reaction to those she found.

'How could I refuse when my best customer calls?' Jeannette said, and she was not exaggerating. The young Malfoy was one of her best customers and one that was proving to be the most interesting.

'This is Edwin Berkley, and you may know Edna Berkley?' Draco continued once the elf had left after delivering Slater's message to Draco.

'I indeed know Lady Berkley, and that must be young lord Berkley.' She answered stoically to which Draco nodded with another smile.

'Then I do not need to tell you what I need from you.' Draco stated.

'You don't.' Jeannette answered proudly. She had no idea what Draco Malfoy was planning, but she knew who the Berkley's had been. Jeannette had only been an apprentice when they fell from grace, but everyone desired the Berkley's' business back then. Edna Berkley was a beautiful woman and looking at her; she still had the poise of a lady who expected only the best. Young lord Edwin Berkley was handsome himself, and he had all the makings to be a powerful lord

As she looked at them, Madame Jeannette remembered something she had read in the prophet awhile back. Draco Malfoy had started what he called a Grey Faction, and although she had not given much thought to what that meant back then, she did now. Whatever young Malfoy was planning would be huge and she would be right in the middle of it. She was very thankful for her insight to keep young Draco's business even when his name had been so badly tarnished by the prophet. She had lost some clients from that decision but who cares when things were about to become so much more interesting?

'Spare no expense.' Draco said, and Jeannette almost grinned at those magic words. Those were words she always loved to hear, and she would follow them to the letter.

'I will get to work then.' She said, and Draco nodded before turning to the Berkeley's.

'I have to get back to work now.' He said. 'Madame Jeannette has my full confidence. She should be able to provide everything you will need for a comeback. Don't hesitate to ask for anything.'

'Thank you, Draco.' Edwin said. He had only spent a short time with the young blonde, but he had become very fond of him, and it showed in the genuine smile he directed at the young man.

'Don't mention it.' Draco dismissed with a smile of his own before he left the parlour. He and Severus were still running tests in the huge potions lab that was located just a floor above the dungeons of Dragon castle, and everything was going even better than he had expected.

Wanting to be ready to present his findings to the members of the Grey Faction who would be meeting the following night, Draco and Severus worked all day and did not break until an elf came to inform them that Slater was waiting in the living room to speak to Draco.

It was already approaching dinner time by then so Draco and Severus cleared up their work areas and made sure that everything was well preserved before they left the lab for the living room which was one floor up. It took only a few minutes to arrive at the room, and Draco was surprised to find Slater and his entire clan waiting for him having forgotten the message that Noku had delivered earlier in the day. This was the first time that Draco was meeting the entire vampire clan because they had insisted upon waiting for their kin who were in China before a formal introduction was made.

'May I present my clan to you Mr Malfoy?' Slater asked formally, and when Draco nodded, the man proceeded to do just that. Each vampire made a deep formal bow to Draco as Slater called their name and Draco could not help but be humbled by the gesture which he returned without reservation to each of the vampires.

'As you may have guessed, our compatriots have returned from the expedition in Mt Huashan.' Slater continued once the introductions were done, and four of the vampires stepped forward.

'I trust you did not encounter many difficulties?' Draco asked as he looked directly at the four.

'Not at all.' A young lady who seemed to be the youngest of the lot answered and the others snorted in amusement.

'Merlin knows how she survived walking with her eyes closed the entire time we climbed Mt Huashan.' One of the others said, and Draco had to laugh.

'Shall we have dinner as you tell us all about the trip.' Draco asked, and when he saw them nod, he led the way to the dining room.

In the dining room, they found the Berkeley's about to take their places and Draco was pleased to see that they were already decked out in new clothes that Madame Jeannette must have had ready to wear. Their hair, nails, skin and clothes were impeccable. Looking at them, no one could have guessed at the deplorable conditions they had been living in before returning to the wizarding world.

He introduced them to the vampires, and when that was done, they all took their seats along the formal dining table which was the size of a Hogwarts house table.

'Were you successful in your quest?' Draco directed this to the vampires once everyone had food and drinks in front of them. The vampires could not eat regular food so, in place of food, the elves had presented them with goblets of wine which Draco had found out they were partial to.

'Yes.' One of the four vampires who had gone on the expedition answered. He had been introduced as Ikta, and since he appeared to be the leader of the group, Draco focused his attention on him. 'The climb up and down was the difficult part, but we managed with no problems. The chilling grass itself was plenty, and we carried a lot in the bottomless bag we had.'

'That's good.' Draco said; pleased with their success.

'We have prepared the land as instructed and we will be able to plant the grass tomorrow in the special greenhouse.' One of the others, Baek, she was called, added on.

It would take a while for the grass to take to the new environment despite the care they had taken to create a special greenhouse that paralleled the atmosphere in Mt Huashan, but Draco was confident that it would eventually grow as it was supposed to. For the moment, he planned to use some of the chilling grass to try and see if he could make the potion as he had conceptualised it.

'It will take a little over a month for the temporary potion you took to leave your systems and hopefully in that time, I will have managed to create the permanent version of it.'

The others nodded in agreement and seeing the hope in the vampires' eyes, Draco knew that he could not disappointment them no matter what.

'Are you adjusting to life here?' He asked conversationally to break the silence that had fallen over the table as everyone contemplated what would happen next. It seemed to be the right thing to ask because they all began excitedly retelling stories of what had happened since they moved into Dragon castle.

After that, dinner was an enjoyable and light affair, and they all talked like old friends who had known each other all their life. It was ironic that Draco was the one to put everyone at ease when his whole upbringing centred around intimidating and making people uncomfortable.

As Draco interacted with the vampires, the human wizards present and Slater watched with pride. The boy was a natural born leader, someone who did not demand loyalty and yet people gave it to him willingly. They all had a deep respect for him, but they could still talk to him like he was their equal. Edwin remembered Draco saying that Harry Potter gave hope to the wizarding world, but Edwin thought that Draco was so much more because he gave them hope of what could be, and showed them the way to get there. He could not have asked for a better person to follow.

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With Draco gone, Harry was spending a lot of his time in the Gryffindor tower. It's not like he particularly wanted to be there, but he had no excuse to stay away now that he did not have to 'keep an eye' on Malfoy. The only thing he could be grateful for was that not many people usually went home for the Easter holidays, so he had more than Ron, Hermione and Ginny to talk to.

Currently, they were all seated in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione had her nose in a book whose title Harry couldn't make out in the dim light. Ron was attempting to play chess by himself- something he had been trying to do since he lost at Christmas and heard that Malfoy made a habit of it. Ginny was sitting on Harry's lap making his legs go numb and Dean to toss him dirty looks when he thought that Harry wasn't paying attention. Seamus and Neville were just there, and Harry was grateful for their company because they were the only ones that he could still talk to without feeling as if he was walking on eggshells.

'Neville, you didn't want to spend the Easter holidays with your mum and dad?' Harry asked.

The timid boy that everyone had known since their first year had become more confident and mellow since his parents left St Mungos and Harry couldn't have been happier for him. He seemed to have a stronger sense of self that was evident in the way he interacted with everyone else, and he was now more inclined to fight back rather than allow anyone to bully him like had become the norm over the years.

'I would have liked to, but my school work still hasn't recovered from the month I spent away from Hogwarts when they left the hospital.' Neville answered. 'Exams are approaching fast, and since I will spend the summer holidays with them, I don't mind staying back this time.'

'Oh, they are doing fine though?'

'Better than fine.' Neville admitted with a smile.

'That's good to hear.' Harry said, and he was truly happy for Neville. Neville could have been the boy who lived, and although not in the same way, they had both lost their parents during that dreadful time. Harry was glad that at least one of them would be able to experience the parents' love that should have been theirs since their birth.

'Do you know where Malfoy went Harry?' Seamus asked out of the blue and Harry internally cursed the Irish boy for his awful timing. There had been some sort of non-verbalised agreement that no one would talk about Malfoy, but Seamus must not have gotten the memo. Trust Seamus to always stick his foot in it!

'No one knows Seamus.' Harry said abruptly hoping to end that line of discussion as soon as possible. He may have decided to pretend to be following Dumbledore's wishes, but he did not think he could sit around quietly if the Gryffindors began insulting Draco like they were want to do. 'He has a house somewhere, but it must be under some very powerful spells since even Dumbledore can't locate it.'

Harry didn't say that even he had tried using his considerable elemental magic to locate it and failed. He had attempted to track Draco using his magical signature, but every time he got close to the goal, something would deter him, and Harry would find himself withdrawing his magic from the search instead of pushing through. He had no idea if this phenomenon was caused by some sort of spell or something else, but it had happened every time he tried to locate Draco's house. The weird thing was that although he missed Draco terribly, he did not feel disappointed or anxious every time he failed to track him. He had always been the curious type, but he somehow felt that forcing his way into Draco's secrets would cause more harm than good, so he willed himself to be patient.

'I bet You-Know-Who is the one cloaking his house in magic.' Ron said scathingly, and Harry was surprised that he had even been listening. Harry didn't want to get into a discussion about Draco because he knew he would lose his temper and say something regrettable, so he kept his mouth shut. He could have kissed Neville when the boy changed the subject to the charms assignment professor Flitwick had given them to do over the break.

As Harry half-listened to the inane chatter going on around him, he allowed his mind to wander to everything else that was happening. His training with Dumbledore had resumed, and not only was he was getting better at hiding his magic from prying eyes, but his control over his elemental magic was getting better. Soon he would be able to start learning the basics of air and earth magic.

Harry knew that he was progressing at a faster than normal pace, and he knew it was all because of his need to be with Draco. He wanted all of Draco. He wanted every smile, every tear, every horrible joke, every sneer, every smirk, every smartass comment…, he wanted everything. He wanted a future where he woke up with Draco in his arms every day, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt the need to act which was what made him stand up abruptly and bid the Gryffindors goodbye. Harry made his escape quickly before his 'friends' could begin to argue and headed straight to the room of requirement where he requested for the training room that he had become accustomed to using lately. He needed to become stronger. Stronger than anyone so that no one would be able to take Draco from him.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello everyone. Chapter 33 was shorter than usual but don't worry; the next one will be pretty long. Anyway, I hope you liked and enjoyed it although there was not much that happened.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-four as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	34. Across All Fronts

**Chapter 34-Across All Fronts**

Severus had never been a fidgety kind of person, but he now found himself fighting a losing battle against the urge to fidget himself into a more comfortable position than his current. He and twelve others were kneeling in a circle on a floor that clearly had not been designed for kneeling and he could already feel the tears on his skin where the sharp stones were digging into his knee caps. It had been a long time since the dark lord had called such a formal meeting and if Severus pushed himself to ignore the pain in his knees, the bone-chilling cold that dug into his spine, and the all-consuming darkness that the four wall torches could not relieve, he could admit to being curious.

He had been in the potions lab at Dragon castle when the mark on his left arm had begun to burn and after saying a quick goodbye to Draco and sending a Patronus to Dumbledore to inform him of the situation, he had apparated right away to the dark lord's side. To his surprise, he arrived within the wards of Gaunt manor and to his farther shock, he noticed that the other death eaters who had arrived before him had their death eater robes and white face masks on. It was not normal to stand on so much ceremony over a meeting so he concluded that there was something different about this one and he quickly transfigured his day robes to match those of the others.

Once that was done and his face was hidden under the death eater mask, Severus allowed his eyes to take in the room that he was in. He could see water seeping through the walls, which made him realise that he was in a dungeon room, but there was nothing else to occupy his interest so he switched his attention to the other death eaters. He counted twelve people, including himself, which made him realise that those gathered were the dark lord's inner circle and that peaked his interest even more. Under their robes and masks, Severus could make out Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Peter Pettigrew, Antonin Dolohov, Thorfinn Rowle, and Corban Yaxley but no matter how he tried, he could not figure out who the eleventh death eater was.

Although no one was talking, all the death eaters stood around in little groups as they waited for their master to arrive, but that was not the case with the death eater that Severus had noticed. He stood away from everyone else and there was an air about him that discouraged anyone from getting closer. Having been in the dark lord's inner circle since the first war, Severus had learnt to trust his instincts and they were now telling him to stay as far away from that particular death eater as he could. There was something very cold and menacing about him and before Severus could think about it further, the dark lord walked into the room and they all fell down to their knees in a circle with Voldemort in the centre. All the death eaters' eyes were cast to the floor and they did not see the smirk that appeared on Voldemort's face as he looked at them with disdain.

'All those gathered here are my most loyal and trusted death eaters.' The dark lord said after what felt like a lifetime to Severus. His knees were screaming in pain, but he knew that attempting to find a better position for his knees would only attract attention so he persevered and willed the dark lord to talk faster.

'I expect that all of you are aware of the changes that will happen at Hogwarts after the Easter holiday?' He asked, although he did not require an answer from any of them. They were expected to always know what was going on with his enemies, so he imagined that they already knew that Hogwarts would play host to representative students from all the magical schools in less than two weeks.

'What you may not know is the reason behind the move.' The dark lord informed and although nobody said a word there was a noticeable change in the room's atmosphere. The heightened anticipation among the death eaters was almost palpable and even Severus was not immune to it. He knew that Dumbledore had been hiding things from him with regards to why the foreign students were coming to Hogwarts and if Dumbledore wouldn't tell him the truth, then he would take the information from wherever he could, including the dark lord.

'The old fool and the International Confederation of wizards have tried to conceal the truth from us, but we have ears in all corners of the world.' Voldemort said superiorly and failed to mention exactly how he had come across the information he was about to impart on them. After his loyal death eater at the ministry had informed him about the meeting on the fifth floor, they had tracked down one of the foreign dignitaries who had attended the meeting and a few well aimed spells had had the man spilling everything that had been discussed.

'You may have heard of the world divination orb….'The dark lord said and there was a collective gasp at his words, since all the gathered death eaters in the group had at one time or another come across mention of the world divination orb. 'The orb has divined that strong world changing magic is gathering in England and the Confederation thinks that it is because of Harry Potter. 'Voldemort finished with a derisive laugh which was echoed by the unknown death eater that Severus had noticed.

'I assume they are mistaken my Lord?' Bellatrix Lestrange asked bravely and it spoke to the mood that Voldemort was in that he did not curse her to within an inch of her life for speaking without his permission.

Rather than answer her right away, Voldemort grinned and none of the death eaters would have been able to refrain from recoiling in fear had they been looking at their lord in that moment. His grinning face was even more menacing than his usual face, but that was as it should be because his happiness would never imply something good for the wizarding world and this time was no exception. Voldemort would never admit it to anyone but for a time, he had been afraid. He had allowed his discovery of the fact that Draco Malfoy was the owner of Dragon World to still his plans but that no more. Things were finally looking up for him and when the time was right, Draco Malfoy would be his and through him, the dark lord would not only acquire the most brilliant mind ever to be gifted to wizard kind but also Harry Potter's all elemental powers. The old fools who sat in the International Confederation of wizards meeting were not wrong in thinking that Harry Potter had something to do with the magic that was gathering in England, but they were wrong in thinking that the boy would be the one who would wield it. It had begun as an impossible idea, but Voldemort now had a plan that would bring the wizarding world to its knees before the end of the year. Feeling the curiosity among his death eaters, Voldemort decided to answer the question that Bellatrix Lestrange had raised.

'Yes, they are wrong. Raise your heads…'He ordered and the death eaters raised their heads and peered at him through the eye holes in their masks.

'I am calling off all attempts to bring Draco Malfoy to my care for the time being. No one is to interfere or harm him until I say so.' Voldemort said coldly and all those gathered knew the consequences of disobeying that particular order. All the death eaters had been curious about the report in the prophet about Draco Malfoy and their lord, but none of them had had the courage to question their master. After pausing for a moment to make sure that everyone understood, Voldemort turned his attention to Severus and the potions master almost recoiled from the threat in the red snake eyes.

'Severus, I am aware that Dumbledore and his Order are bidding their time and will not hesitate to kill the boy.'

'Yes, my lord.' Snape answered, although the statement was technically not a question. 'Draco Malfoy only lives because they are unsure how his death will affect the Potter boy.'

'I thought as much.' Voldemort said. 'You are to make sure that he does not come to harm and protect him with your life if it comes down to that.'

'Understood my Lord.' Severus answered and he found no difficulty in agreeing with the dark lord in the matter. He had no intention of letting anything happen to Draco, but even as he agreed, he wondered what had brought this sudden change in the dark lord. It was bizarre and more frightening than the murderous rages that Voldemort often went into whenever he did not get his way.

'Good.' The dark lord said almost cordially and then turned to the unknown death eater. 'Make sure that everything is in place for when we take over.'

'As you wish, my lord.' A cold voice answered from within the mask and even after they were dismissed, Severus could still hear it in his head. He needed to find out who that death eater was and what exactly his orders were but for now, he had an Order of the Phoenix meeting to get to.

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'Do you have anything to report?' Albus Dumbledore asked, drawing Severus from thoughts of the bizarre meeting he had just had with the dark lord. Bringing his mind to the present, the potions master tried to rearrange his thoughts, deciding what he should report and what he would not. One thing was sure though, there was no way he could let Dumbledore know that Voldemort now wanted Draco protected rather than captured. That would only encourage the old man and the Order to take drastic actions against Draco and that could not be allowed to happen.

Sighing, he directed sharp eyes to the headmaster, intending to get answers that had long been denied him.

'The dark lord knows everything that was said and done during the International Confederation of wizards meeting a few weeks ago.' Severus said and he did not miss the quickly concealed panic that crossed Dumbledore's face at his words. Other than what the dark lord had disclosed, Severus did not know much more and he was about to make an enquiry but Harry beat him to it.

'Isn't it about time you told us exactly what is happening?' Harry said and there was an edge of stubbornness in his eyes and voice that suggested that he would not be satisfied by anything other than the truth.

'All will be revealed in good time my dear boy.' Dumbledore said and Harry could barely manage to hold in the urge to snap at the man. He knew that whatever was going on had something to do with him and he hated that Dumbledore got to choose what was relevant for him to know when he would be the one to face the consequences of ignorance.

'I beg to differ.' Frank Longbottom said as he looked straight at Dumbledore. Now that they were fully recovered, he and his wife had fully re-joined the Order and it had become apparent over the weeks that Dumbledore was still making the same mistakes he had made over a decade ago. Because of the mistakes Dumbledore had made, the Potters were dead and he and Alice had lost fifteen years of their lives. He would be damned if he allowed another tragedy to happen because of Dumbledore's secrets.

'We are at war headmaster.' Frank continued with a hard tone. 'The more information we have, the better we can plan our defences and attacks.'

'I must agree with Longbottom,' Severus weighed in and hoping to get more people curious about what Dumbledore was hiding, he continued. 'The dark lord has already made plans with regard to the divination.'

'What are his plans?' Dumbledore asked urgently.

'No one knows anything yet, but he implied that plans are underway.' Severus answered opting not to say much of what the dark lord had said and done during the meeting. He had no idea what the dark lord intended to do with Draco, but whatever it was, he did not think that the Order's counter move would produce any better results for his godson. Severus did not trust Dumbledore and making his resolve, he decided to find a private moment with Harry and let the boy know what was going on. If Draco was right about Potter and Severus was inclined to think that he was, then Harry Potter would do everything in his power to make sure that no harm came to Draco.

'I see…'Dumbledore said, and he did see more than he was letting on. He and Voldemort were remarkably alike and because of that, he knew exactly what Tom was planning with the information he had on hand. After all, he was also planning the same thing. Before he could go off on his thoughts more, Dumbledore was drawn back to the present by Harry, who had no intention of letting the subject drop.

'What divination is professor Snape referring to?' Harry asked, afraid that another prophecy had been made about him. He truly hoped that he was not the subject of another prophecy because he planned to live his life the way he wanted rather than allowing a prophecy to dictate his future actions.

Sighing as he looked around the room, Dumbledore realised that he would not be able to just brush everything off like he was used to. Many of the Order were looking at him in expectation and it occurred to him that maybe it would be for the best to tell them some of the truth.

'What I am about to tell you should not leave this room under any circumstances.' The headmaster said as he cast his eyes around the room. Like the dark lord, he had also only allowed the inner most members of the Order to attend this particular meeting and he hoped that none of them would speak any of what he told them even to other Order members. Once he saw everyone nod in agreement to his request, he began.

'All of you have had your basic divination training so I will not go into detail about the many types of orbs that seers use to foresee the future.' Once again, he looked around the room to ascertain that everyone agreed with his statement and when he saw that they all did, he continued. 'The common thing about the different orbs is that they are only capable of predicting the future of a single person or thing. However, the divination that professor Snape mentioned was made by a special kind of orb that is capable of predicting not only the future of a single entity but that of the world.'

Dumbledore waited for everyone to absorb the information he was telling them and he was not surprised to see that most of the purebloods in the Order already had an inkling of what he was speaking about.

'Are you implying that the world divination orb has awakened?' Sirius Black asked with a serious face.

'Yes.' Dumbledore confirmed.

'Why have we never heard of this world divination orb?' Hermione asked in excitement. There was nothing like learning new things, although she had always maintained that divination was a sham subject that should be excluded from the Hogwarts curriculum.

'I am not surprised that you have not heard of it.' Dumbledore said kindly. 'The orb is secretly kept in the headquarters of the International Confederation of wizards and is only ever mentioned when a significant divination comes into play.'

'Does this mean that an important divination has been made?' Remus Lupin asked as he looked at the headmaster curiously who in turn gave him a strained smile before answering.

'Yes, something like that.' Dumbledore said and when he noted the unabated curiosity in the room, he continued. 'What this particular divination orb does is predict the appearance of strong magic that is likely to cause events that define important milestones for the wizarding world.'

'What does that even mean?' Harry asked in confusion.

'Harry, do you remember who Nicholas Flamel is?' Dumbledore asked.

'Isn't he the wizard who created the philosopher's stone?' Ron enquired, although it was not really a question. There is no way he could forget the events of their first year at Hogwarts.

'Yes.' Dumbledore confirmed. 'By creating the philosopher's stone centuries ago, Nicholas Flamel found a path to immortality and although no one has managed to recreate it since then, it remains a fact that there is a way for wizardkind to live well beyond their natural lifespan.'

'Professor, do you mean to tell us that the divination orb predicted the creation of the philosopher's stone?' Hermione asked.

'Exactly.' Dumbledore confirmed. 'It shone bronze, then.'

'Bronze?' Ron asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

'Yes.' Dumbledore agreed. 'Rather than predict a set of events, the world divination orb shows the nature and location of magic that will cause the event. Depending on the strength and potential effect of the magic, the orbs shines a different colour.'

The old man took a minute to pop a lemon drop in his mouth before he continued with his revelation. 'It shines bronze when the magic is likely to affect people at an individual level. If you take the philosopher's stone, as an example, the stone is incredibly difficult to make and as such, it only affects the one who makes it and the ones he chooses to share the elixir of life with.'

'That makes sense.' Harry commented and waited for the headmaster to continue.

'The orb shines silver when the detected magic will affect an entire region like it did right before the founders made Hogwarts. Finally, it shines gold when the detected magic is likely to affect the entire world.'

'Which was it this time and where?' Severus asked, catching on faster than most in the room.

'It shone gold and it showed the location to be England.' Dumbledore finally said after a moment's pause.

'Could it be because of the war?' Alice Longbottom asked and the others in the room nodded in acceptance of her theory.

'It could be.' Dumbledore said. 'However, there have been many wars over the centuries and nothing like this has ever happened. Granted that Voldemort is worse than most other dark lords over time, but there could be something else.'

As Dumbledore said this, the members of the Grey faction were hard pressed not to look at each other in enquiry. Severus, Bill, and Remus knew what Draco was capable of and unlike most of the others in the room who immediately assumed that the magic had everything to do with Harry, they had a niggling suspicion that it was because of Draco. In a matter of months, Draco had come up with solutions that had evaded wizardkind since the beginning of time and he still had more in store.

'Is that why we are hosting foreign students?' Professor Flitwick spoke for the first time.

'Yes.' Dumbledore said and took a moment to frown in what appeared to be annoyance. 'None of the Confederation members want to be caught by surprise by whatever the world changing magic is. Without going into excruciating detail, it was decided that elite students from all the major magic schools in the world would be stationed at Hogwarts to observe.'

'Observe me, you mean?' Harry asked with a scowl marring his face.

'Yes, my dear boy, they will be here to observe you.' Dumbledore confirmed. 'I assume that the countries will be sending other spies into Voldemort's group and other locations in the country.'

Everyone fell into thought after that and eventually, Dumbledore cautioned them again about remaining vigilant and then dismissed them for the evening. Separately, the members of the Grey Faction made their way to Dragon Castle, where yet another meeting was scheduled for the evening.

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'This is the first time we hold a meeting with all of us in one room and although I would like us to get better acquainted first, there is much to be discussed and little time to do so.' Draco said with a voice full of regret but none of the Grey faction members seemed to mind so he went on. 'I will give the floor to Miss Vaughn Clark, who has been working towards finding a way for Mr Edwin Berkley to be reinstated in the Wizengamot.'

'Thank you.' The solicitor said in acknowledgement to Draco and then took over without standing up.

'Ms Edgecomb and I have been coordinating on this and we have found no precedence in history or the law that would cause the Wizengamot to prevent the Berkley's' from taking back their sit in the council. Mr Edwin Berkley was born within a magically recognised union and at the time, his father still held the title of Lord Berkley and by right of birth, Edwin Berkley was recognised as the rightful heir to the title. Because he turned into a werewolf, he was stripped of his titles, but with that reason nullified, there is nothing to stop him from regaining his family's former titles and properties.' She began.

'As it is, the Berkley title and properties are in escrow at Gringotts and Goblin magic will be able to recognise Edwin Berkley as the rightful heir.' Marina said and looked at Edgecomb for further explanations.

'Old wizard families have blood pacts with the goblins that allow the goblins to be the administrators of their estates whenever the current heir is unsuitable to take charge.' Edgecomb said. 'You see, the ancestors feared that some of the future generations would deviate from their ideals and lead the families to destruction. To prevent that, they set up conditions that an heir has to meet in order to inherit and if the heir does not meet them, the estate is held in escrow by the goblins for the next heir. Because the ministry outlawed magical creatures from holding properties and titles, the Berkley estate and titles were placed in escrow. The children of werewolves do not always manifest the werewolf trait hence the Berkley title and properties would have reverted to the first Berkeley child not to manifest the trait'.

'What you are saying is that Edwin and Edna can just walk into Gringotts tomorrow and gain back their title, vaults, and properties?' Draco asked incredulously.

'That is exactly what we are saying.' Marina confirmed with a smile. 'However, it is not that easy for the other werewolves since their properties were not protected. We have even located several properties that have either been given to other wizards or torn down for one reason or another.'

'What can we do about this?' Remus asked this in barely concealed anger. It angered him that they had been cheated out of everything but the bare minimums.

'The phrasing of the original law strips werewolves of all rights normally given to a citizen of the England wizarding community-right to own property, right of life since werewolves are habitually captured by the ministry and killed, freedom of speech is denied too, no children, no education, no right to employment-basically, they have no rights. If none of the rights of the English wizarding world applies to werewolves, then it means they are not citizens of England.' Marina said.

'Then it's a good thing that the ministry refused to fund the lycanthropy potion.' Draco said, already understanding what Marina was driving towards.

'Why is that good?' Remus asked in confusion.

'By our reasoning, werewolves are not citizens of the England wizarding world because they do not enjoy the necessary rights and freedoms; if the ministry had agreed to fund the cure, then that could have been used to refute our arguement'. The solicitor explained. 'Our arguement is that wizards cease to be citizens the moment they become werewolves. Therefore, the ministry is acting outside of the law when it takes werewolves' property since it is not illegal for non-English citizens to own property in England. The law is flawed in this matter and we will use the flaw to force the ministry to return the properties or compensate where necessary. '

'How will we go about doing this?' Remus asked.

'First, the Berkley's will reclaim their titles next week, and we will wait for Lord Berkley to be reinstated in the Wizengamot as is his right.' Marina stated. 'We have magical law on our side so there is nothing to worry about when it comes to that. The hard part will come after that.'

'What do you mean?' Bill Weasley asked.

''Public perception.' Draco said. 'We need to subtly influence public opinion without the public and the ministry catching on to what we are doing.'

'..., and that is where I come in.' Luna jumped in. 'Once the Berkley's' reclaim their heritage, we will put it in the media and begin advocating that the other werewolves should also be given what they lost back. Naturally, the ministry will refuse.' Luna smiled as she said that.

'How is that a good thing?' Bill asked.

'The ministry's refusal to give back what was taken from the werewolves will create a legitimate opening for Lord Berkley to bring the matter to the Wizengamot as a question of law. No one will suspect any outside involvement since Lord Berkley's action will appear natural given his previous life as a werewolf.' Marina explained and paused to let the others absorb the information. It was a simple strategy, but one she was sure would achieve the results that the Grey faction wanted.

'Will it matter though?' Blaise Zabini who had been silent all along asked and most of the others in the room looked at him in question, but some like Draco only smiled because they knew exactly what Blaise was worried about.

'What do you mean?' Remus asked.

'The Grey Faction does not have the numbers to carry a vote.' Blaise explained. 'Even if Lord Berkley presents the petition to the Wizengamot, it is unlikely that he will garner the necessary support to force the ministry to return the properties. After all, some of the beneficiaries are in the Wizengamot.'

'I was initially worried about the same thing when Draco first suggested settling this issue in the Wizengamot but as usual, he had a solution which we think will work.' Marina said and there was no concealing the awe in her eyes as she looked at Draco. She, Luna, and Edgecomb had done the research, but Draco had been the one to make her aware of a crucial law that guided their entire strategy.

 _For someone who said that he had a limited knowledge of the law, he sure was impressive!_ Marina thought before she went on with her explanation. 'The petition that will be presented to the Wizengamot will be a question of law rather than a criminal case.'

'Is there a difference?' Edwin Berkley asked.

'Yes, there is a big difference. Let's just say that the Wizengamot will not see our plan coming until it is already too late and by then, there will be nothing they can do, but comply.' Marina said with an enigmatic smile on her face. 'Rest assured, we have the petition under control.'

'It can really be done?' Lupin asked. After living in poverty for so long, he was afraid of hoping for too much only to be disappointed. In all honesty, he was already happy that he didn't have to go through the painful werewolf transformation on a monthly basis.

'Yes, it can be done.' Draco answered with a kind smile at his old defence against the dark arts professor.

'You have done a wonderful job with this.' He continued as he looked at those gathered around the table. The Grey faction was truly becoming a formidable force and he couldn't wait to see the results of their hard work.

'Only because you even thought of it.' Marina returned and they all chuckled good-naturedly.

'What is the timing on this?' Edwin asked.

'It's important that everything happens at a natural pace otherwise it will tip our hand before we have a strong enough foundation to weather the storm.' Draco warned. 'First, we will get your title and properties back. After that, we will allow the media to reacquaint the public with the Berkley family-they will talk about your beginnings, your former influence, your fall, and now your rise again. At that point, you will express regret that you are the only ones to be fortunate enough to get everything back and the media will be steered in the direction of the other former werewolves like we want. Some of them will attempt to gain an ear with the ministry and will be refused as is the nature of Cornelius Fudge and the ministry. This will be when you will take up their plight and petition the Wizengamot on their behalf. March is already at an end, but we hope that everything will be settled in time to have any former werewolf children admitted to Hogwarts in September.'

'Won't trying to get the children in school so fast seem like someone is manipulating events behind the scenes?' Pansy asked, finally weighing in on the debate.

'We have thought about that, but it's best that the first batch of children attend Hogwarts while you lot are still there so that you can observe the situation closely.' Marina said. 'For this, we will need an independent party to be the first to suggest that the werewolf children be allowed at Hogwarts and I already have someone in mind for that role. Anyway, all that will come much later otherwise we will risk overwhelming the ministry and loosing at all fronts.'

'Will Hogwarts be able to handle this?' Remus asked in concern. In as much as he would like the former werewolves to experience Hogwarts like he had, he was also conscious of unintended consequences that could arise from forcing the issue. He wanted to make sure that Hogwarts would be able to comfortably handle the additional students.

'We have done the necessary legwork and Hogwarts has more than enough space and resources to handle way more students than it already handles.' Luna said and the room fell into a contemplative silence until Slater broke it.

'Have you made progress with the blood samples we gave you?' He directed this question at Draco but it was Severus who answered.

'Not just progress.' He implied, with unmistakable pride in his voice.

'What has happened?' Balthazar asked. As an Unspeakable, all the political stuff that had taken up much of the meeting did not interest him but talk of progress with regards to vampires was a sure way to pique his interest.

Before answering, Draco looked at Slater in question and when he received the go-ahead to speak freely, he proceeded to explain everything he had learnt from studying the blood that the vampire clan had given to him only days ago.

'As I was doing my research, I noticed that there was not much information about vampires except that they cannot stand the sun, they drink blood, and that they live forever.' Draco began. 'There was not much that was concrete so I asked Slater for information. Because they live for a very long time, vampires don't come of age until they are at least thirty, sometimes even later. Before coming of age, young vampires drink their sire's blood, much like a human child suckles. After coming of age, that's when they start drinking other blood. In the absence of a mate, they will take any human or animal blood. However, once mated, they only take their mate's blood. The mates are always human and rarely below the age of thirty. I saw a pattern in this and began to have a theory which I have since confirmed after I examined the blood of the mates. All of them have a condition called haemochromatosis.'

'What is that?' Pansy asked without attempting to pronounce the name of said condition.

'It's a condition that some wizards have that causes them to produce more blood than they need.' Severus explained.

'What are you saying?' Slater asked, starting to see the picture.

'It means that vampires are creatures created by nature and not abominations meant to harm other creatures of nature.' Draco said with a smile. 'Haemochromatosis is currently treated by removing the excess blood from the body a few times a year, but that is not the right way to handle the condition.'

'Are you saying that you have found a better way to manage haemochromatisis?' Balthazar asked eagerly. 'The Unspeakables and healers have been trying to figure out what eventually kills haemochromatosis patients' even though the condition should be manageable by removing the excess blood but we are yet to find the answer. You have figured it out?'

'Technically, removing the blood should work,' Draco agreed, 'but wizards with that condition are meant to be mated to vampires. Slater made me understand that when a vampire drinks from his or her mate, it's kind of an intense sexual and sensual bonding between the two. Therefore, even if the excess blood is removed from a haemochromatosis patient, they always feel that something is not right. The lack of the bond is what eventually kills them.'

'Merlin, this is incredible.' The unspeakable said and the others also shared in the opinion. 'It makes so much sense.'

'How will this help us?' Slater asked anxiously after the excited chatter died down.

'Now we can propose that all children be tested for HFE-the faulty gene that causes haemochromatosis-at birth. This solves two existing problems in the wizarding world. Being mated to a vampire stops deaths from haemochromatosis, and having mates means that the threat the wizarding world feels from vampires will reduce drastically. The process is long though, because healers and Unspeakables will have to get behind this theory. It will also take some work before the wizarding world accepts that vampire children will pose no threat to their children at Hogwarts.' Draco finished sadly.

'We are in no hurry, we can wait.' Slater said with a confident smile. 'We have waited centuries to catch a glimpse of hope and until it becomes a reality, we will enjoy the sun that you have given us.'

Draco's eyes glistened suspiciously from Slater's words and the other members of the faction only looked on with trusting and proud smiles.

'I suppose it's my job to find a healer that is willing to authenticate this research?' Bill asked when the moment passed.

'Yes.' Draco agreed. 'You will be able to handle the ministry Balthazar?'

'Naturally.' The man confirmed.

'That's good to hear.' Draco acknowledged. 'Is there any other urgent matter that needs to be discussed right away?'

'There is.' Severus said solemnly and all attention turned to him. In detail, he told them everything that had happened in the death eater and the Order of the Phoenix meetings with help from Bill and Remus when it came to the latter. When the retelling was over, they attempted to posit exactly what was going on but not even Draco had any plausible ideas to explain the divination. Of all the products he had planned, he did not think he had any that was likely to have that major of an effect on the world and unable to come up with any real suggestions, they closed the meeting on that note with promises to revisit the issue at a later date.

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Oblivious to everything but the happenings in their dreams, the inhabitants of wizarding England slept on while a number of ancient beings awakened. They were not many, but the oldest had been there at the beginning of time.

'We were not wrong.' One said.

'We are not wrong.' Another said.

'We will not be wrong.' Yet another said.

'Heed our call, 'Heimdall the Trueblood'.' The oldest said and deep in the bowels of Gringotts, an ancient goblin woke up.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello everyone. Chapter 34 is finally up and I hope that you all enjoyed it. A lot happened in the chapter, but it is all necessary as you will see in later chapters. Either way, I still hope that it was not too much for one chapter.

Also, Haemochromatosis is a real disease, but I took some artistic freedom to ensure it fit the scenario I created.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-five as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	35. Transference

**Chapter 35-Transference**

Harry was about to turn in for the night when the owl arrived. It was an unfamiliar bird and since it was almost midnight, Harry approached it with caution and did not dare to remove the attached parchment until he had checked for any and all jinxes and curses that he could think of. When he was satisfied that the parchment was safe, he detached it from the bird's right leg and read the short note quickly before grabbing his invisibility cloak and marauders map. He knew that he should be more careful as he ran through the castle, but the adrenaline that was coursing through him would not allow him to slow down his pace. Severus Snape had not said what he wanted to talk about in the brief note, but Harry could not help but fear that something had happened to Draco. Just the thought of it made Harry quicken his pace and soon enough; he was standing at the base of the willow tree which stood on the grounds of Hogwarts. He pressed the knob that immobilised the violent branches and looking once at the Marauders' map to make sure that no one had followed him, he slipped through the opening that led to the Shrieking Shack.

The tunnel was just as Harry remembered it from his third year, but with his added height since his earlier years, the fit was less comfortable which forced him to crawl at a slower pace than he would have liked. After what felt like a lifetime, Harry finally emerged within the Shrieking Shack; which was shrouded in unforgiving darkness and a nauseating smell of decay. Ignoring both the darkness and smell, Harry looked around, but his first perusal revealed no one which made him worry that the professor had gotten impatient and left.

'Professor Snape…'Harry called and when there was no immediate answer, he extracted his wand from his robe pocket, ready to cast a revealing spell but a voice from one of the shadowed corners stilled his efforts.

'Potter.' Severus Snape called back. He had been waiting under a disillusionment spell and he promptly removed it so that Harry could see him using the dismal sliver of moonshine that stole into the room through the dusty windowpanes of the shack.

'Professor, what has happened?' Harry asked urgently. 'Draco? Where is Draco? Is he okay?'

'Calm yourself, Draco is just fine.' Severus assured quickly. He could see the panicked glint in the Gryffindor's eyes and it convinced him that he had done the right thing by coming to Potter with what he had found out.

The note he had sent to Harry was brief because he did not want any information to leak to either Voldemort or Dumbledore but perhaps it was too brief. It now occurred to him that he should have found a way to subtly tell Potter that everything was fine with Draco if only to prevent the frantic look that he was now witnessing.

'Are you sure?' Harry asked as if he couldn't just take Severus' words for the truth. Under normal circumstances, the potions master would have taken umbrage at having his word questioned but the circumstances were everything but ordinary so he suppressed the urge to lecture Harry and instead answered him properly.

'I am as sure as I can be. Draco was finishing up his charms homework when I left him not half an hour ago.'

'That's good then.' Harry said with a smile. 'Tell him that I beat him to it when you get back to wherever he is staying.'

Severus rolled his eyes at that before he cast a Lumos and pointed at one corner of the room where two chairs had been placed to face each other. Harry picked his way across the room quickly and took one of the offered chairs. Now that he knew that Draco was fine, he was curious to find out why the professor had requested a clandestine meeting in the middle of the night when the end of the Easter break was only a few days away.

'I called you here because I have an urgent matter to discuss and my appearance at Hogwarts before the end of the break would not go unnoticed by the headmaster.' Severus began when they were both seated.

'I understand.' Harry said and he truly did. Snape had gone to great lengths to ensure that no one found out about their meeting and that alone made Harry think that whatever the man wanted to discuss required his utmost discretion.

After a long silence filled with implications, Severus began to speak.

'Potter, there is something that I did not report in the last Order of the Phoenix meeting.' The potions master admitted as he watched the Gryffindor for a reaction. He saw surprise and curiosity, but none of the accusation that he had half expected. 'Before I continue, I would like to ask you a personal question...'

'Alright.' Harry agreed although he was a bit wary of revealing too much to the professor. He trusted the man and they had even formed a friendship after Harry apologised for the behaviour of the marauders, but the friendship was too tentative to be considered intimate.

'I want to know what your intentions are towards Draco.' Severus stated and Harry would have laughed if he wasn't soo surprised by the unexpected subject matter. His first reaction was to tell Snape that this sort of conversation should have happened before the bonding, but there was a sobriety in the professor's tone that warned Harry against making light of the situation. In any case, he figured that the question was still relevant given that his intentions had changed in the months since the bonding.

'I am in love with your godson.' Harry said candidly and he could see the barely concealed surprise in Severus' eyes. Whatever the man had expected, he had not expected such candour. For Harry, he was just happy to finally be able to reveal that truth to someone; even if the someone in front of him was not the person he wanted to say the words to the most.

'I want to live my life with Draco and I will do anything to ensure that that happens.' He continued heatedly and if the lighting had been better, Harry would not have been able to hide the pink flush that took over his face as he declared his intentions.

'I see.' Severus said for lack of a better response. He knew that Draco felt the same way about Potter, but it was not his place to reveal that to the Gryffindor. The only thing he could do was watch over them until they got around to speaking the words to each other. In the meantime, he had to make sure that nothing threatened either their life or happiness. 'As I said before, there is something I failed to report to the Order because I felt that it would turn out badly for Draco.'

'Tell me.' Harry commanded, and Severus snarled at the rude behaviour but otherwise acceded to the demand.

'In the most recent death eater meeting, the dark lord ordered all his followers not to harm Draco no matter what, and to protect him at whatever cost if it comes to that.' Severus informed and he saw Harry's eyes narrow in suspicion. While Voldemort's actions appear good on the surface, they both knew that there had to be a hidden agenda behind the sudden change of heart.

'What is he planning to do with Draco?' Harry eventually asked.

'He said that he has found a way to use Draco to take a hold of your all-elemental magic.' Severus stated and Harry gasped in both surprise and horror. 'I had no idea how he planned to accomplish that, but my research over the last few days has shown me that it is very possible.'

"How?' Harry asked in a choked voice, but Severus did not answer right away. He wished that he didn't have to explain what he had found out to the Gryffindor, but he knew that failure to disclose everything due to a misguided attempt at protecting them could only lead to tragedy. Steeling his nerves and resolve, Severus began the explanation that he knew would cause immeasurable anguish to the raven-haired saviour well into the future.

'Harry, have you ever heard of "transference"?' He asked.

'No, what is it?' Harry answered quickly and Severus sighed in resignation.

'Transference happens when magical traits of one being are transferred to another due to a ritual, transplant, or transfusion.' Snape began and when he saw that Harry still retained a lost look on his face, he continued. 'It is the reason why blood-based rituals are so restricted and why organ transplants and blood transfusions are not done in the wizarding world.'

'Like how Voldemort acquired my mother's protection after he used my blood for his rebirth?' Harry asked in a bitter voice and Severus nodded in acceptance of the example.

'Basically, by using your blood to resurrect himself, the dark lord acquired a lot of your innate abilities in addition to Lily's protection.' Severus stated and Harry felt a chill creep up his spine. 'I think that he has recently figured out that if he bonded with your mate, he would be able to awaken the all-elemental magic that lays dormant in his veins'.

'Oh, Merlin!' Harry uttered in shock as he began to pace around the room. Too many thoughts were running through his mind, but at the moment, the only clear thing to him was gratitude towards the potions' master. If Severus had revealed everything to Dumbledore immediately after the death eater meeting, not even he would have been able to save Draco from the Order. As it was, Harry knew that it was only a matter of time before Dumbledore figured it out for himself but by telling him first, Severus had given him time to plan. As he took back his seat across from the Slytherin, Harry decided he had to hasten his training if he was going to be ready for whatever was thrown at them.

'There is one more thing...' Severus said in a sad voice that made Harry look at him in worry.

'What is it?' He asked.

'Harry, I am not sure how much Draco has told you about the rumour that he is the dark lord's lover...'The potions' master trailed and waited for Harry to pick up the conversation.

'I know that it wasn't consensual on Draco's part.' Harry said and there was soo much anger contained in the single sentence that Severus almost reconsidered saying what he knew had to be said next.

'You are right about that.' Severus confirmed. 'Harry, I believe that the blood in the dark lord's veins recognises Draco as its mate, which has caused the dark lord to fixate on Draco...'

Harry felt as if someone had punched him in the solar plexus and no matter how much he tried to, he could not concentrate on the rest of what professor Snape was saying. Because his blood had been stolen and used in the rebirth of a monster, Draco had suffered so much that he woke up a few nights a week with nightmares. He knew that he wasn't to blame for the theft, but he still felt guilty. He felt as if he had failed time and again to protect Draco and more than anything, he feared that he would fail him again. As Harry sat there in his shock, he recalled all the harsh things he had said to Draco since their bonding and unbidden tears of grief and shame rolled down his cheeks. He did not know what to do so he turned to the only other person in the room and pleaded with him for help because despite what he knew, he couldn't let go of Draco.

'Harry, I am sure you know that it is not your fault that the dark lord took your blood, but the fact that he did is still our current reality.' Snape began. 'What we need to ensure is that the dark lord never has the opportunity to force a bond on Draco.'

'How do we do that?' Harry asked desperately.

'The only way for Draco to form another bond is for you to be dead.' Severus explained.

'Then there is nothing to worry about because I have no intention of dying before Voldemort.' Harry said with so much determination that Severus was loathe to disillusion him but he had to.

'Unfortunately, Harry, you are most certainly going to die before Voldemort.' Severus said in a matter of fact voice that made Harry think that he was missing something.

'What do you mean by that?' He asked.

'I know that the headmaster has spoken to you about the dark lord's Horcruxes, but he failed to disclose to you the most important thing.' Severus stated in both disappointment and sadness.

'What is he hiding?'

'Harry, the headmaster believes that part of the dark lord's soul attached itself to you when he tried to kill you sixteen years ago.' Severus said and watched Harry's face turn ghost white in the pale light of his wand. 'He plans to inform you of this fact right before the final confrontation. Dumbledore says that Voldemort must be the one to kill you for the piece of soul within you to die.'

'I..., I don't understand...'Harry began. 'What about the prophecy?'

'The prophecy only says that only one of you can live, but it does not specifically say which one.' Severus said. 'The prophecy is beside the point though. There is a reason to believe that while the killing curse will be able to kill the dark lord's soul within you, your own soul will remain intact, which will allow you to come back from death and therein lies the problem.'

'Why?'

'Potter, very few bonds persist after death and the elemental bond is not one of them.' Severus cautioned. 'The elemental bond you have with Draco will definitely break when the dark lord casts the killing curse on you and at that point, Draco will become vulnerable to both Voldemort and Dumbledore. Do you understand?'

'If I get this right, my temporary death at the hands of Voldemort will break the elemental bond with Draco. If Voldemort acts quickly within that window, he can force a bond with Draco and to prevent that, the Order will likely attack first?' Harry asked trying to clarify the situation.

'Yes, assuming that Dumbledore will already have figured out the transference situation.' Severus affirmed. 'You will still have your elemental powers after coming back to life and because of that, the Order will no longer consider Draco a necessary part of your life.'

'I see.' Harry said as he contemplated the situation some more. 'Is there no other way, to get rid of Voldemort's soul within me?'

'Not that I know of.' Severus answered. 'I will continue to research the matter though.'

'Thank you.'

'It's getting light outside, you should head back to the castle.' Severus said as he stood and Harry did the same. 'Harry, I will leave you to explain things to Draco when you feel ready, don't wait too long though.'

'Thank you.' Harry said again and began to cover himself with his invisibility cloak, but a hand on his arm held him in place for a second longer.

'Potter, I did not come today to pressure you into finding a solution because I already know what must be done to keep Draco safe.' At that, Harry tried to interrupt the potions' master but Severus would not have it. 'The same or maybe a different solution will become apparent to you when you are both emotionally and physically read'.

With those mysterious words and a smirk on his face, Severus Snape apparated from the Shack, leaving a confused Gryffindor behind.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello everyone. Chapter 35 is finally up. It gave me quite a lot of trouble but it's finally up. I hope you enjoyed reading it although Draco did not make an appearance. I miss him and I can't wait to upload a fluff chapter soon:))

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-six as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	36. Under the Same Sky

**Chapter 36-Under the Same Sky**

 ** _The Berkley Family Is Back!_**

 _Earlier today, in an unprecedented move, Edwin and Edna Berkley, now Lord Berkley and Dowager Lady Berkley appeared in Diagon alley's branch of the wizarding bank Gringotts to reclaim the Berkley family's heritage. This turn of events was made possible by the existence of an ancient pact between the Goblins and some of the wizarding world's oldest families. The pact allows the Goblins to place the assets and titles of a family in escrow until a suitable heir comes of age (See page 5 for more information about the pact)._

 _It has been more than a decade since a member of the Berkley family appeared in the wizarding world and the name has all but fallen into obscurity even amongst the older generation. The family came to sudden ruin when they were attacked by a pack of werewolves on their way back from a Quidditch game that had gone on later than expected. The Berkley's lost their property, titles, money, and reputation in one go almost two decades ago. Shamed by his new circumstances, former lord Berkley and his family went into hiding and their whereabouts have been unknown until their appearance at Gringotts earlier today. The former lord Berkley and the youngest daughter were conspicuously absent from the group that arrived at Gringotts hence this writer can only assume that they succumbed to the labours of lycanthropy before a cure was found. I wish to extend my deepest condolences on behalf of myself and the daily prophet to the family for their loss._

 _From their appearance, Lord and dowager lady Berkley looked as they had before their sudden fall. They wore expensive robes at the height of fashion and carried themselves in a manner befitting the nobility. One can only guess where the proud Berkley's have been, and what they have been doing to escape the destitution that comes with being a werewolf._

 _The daily prophet shall keep you informed about this old family in the coming days._

 _Rita Skeeter_

 _Daily Prophet Correspondent_

Draco snorted as he finished reading the article that had been printed in a special edition of the evening prophet the previous day. He had not needed to read the paper to know that the Berkley's had been successful in their petition at Gringotts but he had needed to know how it would be reported by the media. It was advantageous to the Grey Faction that Skeeter had not been unfairly critical of the Berkley's but Draco was not fooled by the amicable tone that she had used. He knew that she had intentionally tried to sound pleasant in order to curry favour with the Berkley's in hopes of getting an exclusive interview. She would soon realise that the Berkley's would not give her the exclusive and when that happened, Draco expected she would be back to her old habits of writing lies and inventing scenarios.

Sighing in resignation, Draco placed the prophet on his writing desk and walked out of the room through the glass doors that opened into a wide balcony that was attached to his bedroom. There were only a few stars left in the sky and the black of night had lightened to the grey of approaching dawn but Draco was too restless to sleep. He took one of the armchairs that had been placed on the balcony and allowed his thoughts to drift.

His solicitor, Marina, had managed to recruit a respected independent solicitor to help them petition Hogwarts and the ministry into allowing the former werewolves to attend the school come September. On his part, Bill was progressing smoothly in trying to get St Mungos to sanction a case study on the vampire situation. All in all, Draco had managed to accomplish everything he had set out to do during the break but he could not help the nagging feeling he had that he was missing something vital.

He knew what that was, he had known since they parted ways at the gates of Hogwarts but it was still a bit hard for him to accept that he had grown so severely and irrevocably attached to Potter. He was in love, that much was certain. He also knew that his love for Harry made him vulnerable to Harry in ways that he would and could never be to other people. They had both said cruel things to each other over the years but Draco could not help but recoil at the possibility of being vulnerable to Harry whenever he recalled some of the things that the Gryffindor had said to him over the previous months. He wanted to forget it all and allow himself to completely be in love with Harry but he was afraid that the black-haired boy did not realise that he was both the greatest source and threat to Draco's happiness. Harry could protect him from everything and everyone around them but until he realised that he was the only one that could irreparably break Draco's heart, he remained a threat.

That he had never said any of this to Harry was not lost on Draco and the cautious way they had been tiptoeing around the issue was quickly beginning to weigh him down. He wanted to know that Harry would not abandon him for the Weasleys, the Order, or whatever else choice may present itself in the future but at the back of his mind, he knew that waiting for that guarantee before acting was cowardly. In small ways, Harry had chosen him over his friends and housemates and Draco also wanted to put in some effort. He was not ready to outright confess how he felt but he was ready to give Harry a sign that he was important to him. That now was the right time for them to make bolder strides towards each other. With that resolution in mind and a bit of regret that he was about to disturb the rest of more than one person, he called Biddy to him.

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'…. Potter.' A high voice called and Harry tried to turn away from it in annoyance. The voice was accompanied by bony hands though and even after Harry managed to block out the voice with a pillow over his head, the hands would not stop shaking him and he forced himself to open his eyes if only to deal with the annoyance before going back to sleep.

'Harry Potter sir…, Harry Potter...'. The voice continued, obviously ignorant that Harry had already woken up.

'What?' Harry snapped.

'Harry Potter sir, I is bringing a message from master Draco.' The elf said and Harry immediately sat up on the bed. A quick wave of his hand filled the room with light and he was able to finally see that the elf standing on the right side of the bed was Biddy.

'Did you say that you have a message from Draco?' He asked.

'Yes, Harry Potter sir.' The elf said enthusiastically and handed Harry a package.

Without wasting a minute, Harry ripped open the package to find a long-stemmed bud that was rested on a red velvet bed. He remembered the buds from Valentine's day and he felt his heart quicken as he took the bud in his hand. As if in slow motion, he watched the bud transform into small blue flowers that sprouted along the stem of the branch. His knowledge of flowers was severely limited so he had no idea what it meant but before he could get out of bed in search of a book that would help in the interpretation, he noticed a small card that was still in the box and he quickly took it.

 _Harry,_

 _The flower is called Blue Salvia and it means 'I am thinking of you'._

Harry could feel a smile stretch his lips and the annoyance he had felt at being woken before dawn completely disappeared from his features. Harry knew that he meant something to Draco but this was the first time that the blonde had done something that showed that he cared and actively thought about Harry. Happily, he turned back to the rest of the note.

 _Look out of the window to your South, at exactly 5.35a.m._

 _Draco._

Frowning a little at the odd request, Harry cast a tempus only to find that it was only two minutes away from the appointed time. He did not know what Draco was planning to do, but he nevertheless got out of bed and hurried to the living room which was the only room in the quarters that had a south-facing window. He was surprised to find that Biddy had magicked a sort of window seat below the window so that Harry wouldn't have to stand and he sunk into it gratefully. He had barely managed to seat himself when the elf appeared again and draped a warm blanket around him before offering him a cup of chocolate.

'It's time Harry Potter Sir.' The elf said when Harry would have tried to inquire about what was happening and with a crack, it disappeared.

Quickly, Harry turned his attention from where the elf had disappeared, just in time to see a golden light erupt from a point in the far South and soar high up into the sky. It was only a ball of light against the grey morning sky but slowly, it morphed into the most beautiful creature that Harry had ever seen. It was a dragon that somehow managed the contradiction of looking both fierce and gentle, and the sight of it filled Harry with warmth. It moved gracefully in a circle high up in the sky, repeating the same path over and over again and just by looking at it, Harry managed to understand exactly what Draco wanted to say.

 _I am here._

It was a simple statement that did not only indicate Draco's geographical location. It meant that Draco was present and he was working towards the same things as Harry. It meant that Harry was not the only one looking forward to a future together. This was the first indication that either of them had made towards being special to one another and it made a lump form in Harry's throat. It was a bold statement and Harry could not find adequate words to answer Draco's feelings so he concentrated on the feeling of Draco. The feeling of having Draco there with him and the feeling of having Draco away from him.

 _It was only a week after the holidays started that Harry had fallen asleep while reading a book. It was a boring book about the goblin rebellion of 1752 but Harry had panicked when he woke up to find that sometime during his sleep, the book had ended up beneath him and it now spotted the worst dog ears he had ever seen in a book. Without thought, he had scribbled a short note to Flourish and Blotts in Diagon alley making an order for a new book, promising to pay more if the book could be delivered right away. It was not until the owl had returned with the book a short hour later that Harry had realised that Draco was not there, in fact, the book had not been the_ blonde's _. Draco was not there to scold him for treating a book like he had, he had not been there to get angry and possibly ignore Harry but despite the possible negative ramifications for him, Harry had wanted Draco to be there._

 _Barely a week later, Harry had been making an order of chocolates to give to Remus Lupin as a gift for the upcoming full moon, and he had ended up buying every type in the catalogue. When the package had been delivered, Harry had been surprised to find that he had made the order thinking that Draco would want to try every type. In the end, he gave it all to Remus while he retreated back to his room to get over the sudden gloom that overtook him at realising that Draco was not there._

 _There had been more incidents like that over the break but the worst had been when Harry had a sudden thought of what it would be like if he and Draco were no longer together and living in the same place after the war. They would walk the same streets in Diagon Alley, attend the same parties, and visit the same places, and all they would be to each other would be old acquaintances who waved at each other in passing. He did not want that. He wanted Draco in his life even when the Slytherin turned into a cranky dragon over the silliest of things._

All these thoughts occurred to Harry within the space of a single heartbeat and he realised that he had fallen in love with Draco the way one falls asleep. It had started out slowly, and then all at once and he could not find the will or reason to try and reverse the process. Harry looked at the dragon again and he imagined Draco's smile, reading, talking, and laughing with Draco, waking up with Draco, and as the scenes saturated his mind, he felt something warm and powerful erupt from his wand. He looked up on time to see his ball of golden light turn into a golden gryphon that soared around the tower majestically in answer to the dragon that had ceased its movements to stare. From his place on the balcony at Dragon Castle, Draco looked at the gryphon and it took his breath away. It had surprised him when his Patronus had appeared in a golden light rather than the normal silver and it still surprised him when he saw the same phenomenon in Harry's but for the moment, he didn't care. All that mattered is that he knew that Harry had understood his message and he had earnestly answered him.

 _I am also here, under the same sky as you._

Until the sun began to emerge from the East, Harry and Draco watched the magical creatures soar above their heads as if playing with each other and they felt content. They were not alone because distance was but an illusion. For as long as they lived under the same sky, they would do whatever it took to cross the distance between them until they stood together as one. Happily, they each sipped their cocoa and by the time their patronuses dissipated in the light, they had fallen unceremoniously asleep.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello everyone. Chapter 36 is finally up. It's short but I wanted to have a Drarry moment before we get back to Hogwarts and the hustle of the upcoming events. I hope you liked and enjoyed it.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-seven as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	37. Three is a Crowd

**Author's Note:**

Hi guys. It feels like forever since I uploaded and I guess it has been. Life got in the way, what with work and other things. Anyway, I am finally here and I hope that you will enjoy chapter 37. Sorry for taking too long.

 **Chapter 37-Three is a Crowd**

The tension at the Gryffindor table could have been cut with a knife if someone had gone out of their way to do such a strange thing. Most of the members of the said house did not know the specifics of what had caused the tension, but it was clear that whatever it was-was because of Harry and Ginny.

From where he sat at least ten seats diagonally across from Ginny, Harry looked unconcerned even under the piecing angry glare that Ginny was sending his way. If you looked more carefully, he looked carefree and happy which was a contrasting emotion to the rage that was clearly exposed on Ginny's face.

'Harry, don't act rashly on this.' Hermione said as she gave her supposed best friend a pleading but careful look.

For a minute, Harry did not appear to have heard the girl's plea and he continued to pile up food on his lunch plate. He was starving and if he did not need to keep the charade, he would have just ignored her and went on to eat his food but he could not do that. He did not want to make them suspicious. He knew that they suspected what he had done, but this was not the time to prove their suspicions right. He was a victim in all this and he needed to play the victim until the time was right to drop the act. Arranging his face into a sorrowful mask, he looked at Hermione.

'She cheated on me, Hermione.' He said with a broken voice but nevertheless slightly loud voice that carried to the people seated close to him. There was a gasp and an urgent whispering started almost immediately as the busybodies carried the information down the people on the benches. Harry knew that the entire school would know what he had said within a matter of minutes, but he did not care-in fact, he wanted everyone to know because if they knew what had happened, no one would blame Draco for it like he knew they would want to do. This would be the first time that the Hogwarts gossip mill would work to his advantage rather than against him.

'I saw everything Hermione and I can't forgive her for it.' He continued and for good measure, he threw a hurt look at Ginny and another one at Dean who was sitting two places away from the redheaded girl.

'Technically, you also…' Hermione started, but Harry did not allow her to finish because he knew exactly what she wanted to say. He had started out thinking that he was cheating on Ginny with Draco, but the more he thought about it, the more it occurred to him that it had never felt like he was cheating. In actual sense, he had felt as if he was cheating on Draco with Ginny but all that was over now. He felt right with Draco, but Hermione and the rest of the eavesdropping Gryffindors did not need to know that now.

'Technically, I also cheated with Draco?' He asked with a sneer that was so Malfoy that the people around him frowned at him even more. 'Well, I had no other choice but she did.'

The last was said as Harry sent a scathing glare at Ginny and silence fell upon the table as everyone contemplated what they knew and what had been said.

'Can you pass the potatoes?' Harry directed the question at Neville and although the boy passed him the requested food platter, Harry could see the suspicious look that the boy gave him.

Everything had begun when he woke up after the pseudo-date that he had had with Draco a day ago. Although Harry still acknowledged the importance of pretending that he was Dumbledore's loyal soldier and one part of doing that was being with Ginny, he also knew with every cell of his being that he could no longer be with her. His heart, his mind, his soul, and his body all belonged to Draco and after what had happened in the early hours of the morning, it felt wrong to share them with Ginny even as a scheme.

Harry had known that he needed to end things, but he had not known how to end it without causing trouble to himself and Draco. For a long time, he had sat in the window seat looking subconsciously to the South and suddenly, an idea occurred to him. A devious idea that made the Slytherin in him smirk with satisfaction before he dashed off to fetch his marauders map.

It had taken hours of looking at the Marauders' map without any results, but what he had hoped for finally happened. Ginny was the first to leave the common room and as Harry had hoped, Dean followed only a few minutes after. Harry had not needed to confirm with the map that the two had sneaked away for a rendezvous, but nevertheless, he held his seat until he saw them meet up before heading out towards the Greenhouses.

Harry knew that he needed to work fast and he did. He grabbed his school bag and dashed to the Gryffindor common room where he had known Neville was. After making sure to catch his breath before opening the portrait of the fat lady, he walked into the common room. As calmly as he could, Harry had asked for Neville's help on their current Herbology project and the gentle boy had enthusiastically agreed before dashing up the stairs to retrieve his school things. Even better, Seamus had asked to join them because he was having trouble growing his assigned plant and the three of them had set off to the greenhouse but only two had any intention to go there to study.

The walk from the Gryffindor common room to outside the castle had felt like a lifetime and more than once, Harry had been tempted to remove the map from his bag to make sure that Ginny and Dean were still where he had seen them but he had not. He could not be seen being impatient or his two unknowing accomplices would realise that something was off with him so he held back his impatience and made the long trek. Looking back now, Harry could not help but be impressed that he had been able to appear cool and unconcerned even when his heart had been pounding away in his body demanding immediate action.

Once outside of the castle, the three sixth years had begun the walk towards Greenhouse six and it was when they were passing Greenhouse five that Harry put his hopefully convincing plan to use.

'Did you hear that?' He asked the other two and both Neville and Seamus looked at him in question because they hadn't heard anything.

'What is it?' Seamus asked.

'I don't know, but I had something that sounded like choking.' Harry said in concern and that was all he needed because Neville quickly turned towards Greenhouse five instead of continuing to six.

'It could be that some poor fifth year is being choked to death by devil's snare or some other plant in the greenhouse.' The boy said urgently and the three of them quickened their step only for Neville to suddenly stop between two rows of some bushy plant that Harry could not for the life of him, name.

At the very end of the row, Ginny and Dean were frozen in position and were it not for the need to carry the act without a hitch, Harry would have burst into laughter at the look on everyone's faces. Neville looked unbelievably surprised that anyone would choose to fuck in the greenhouses when it was light outside. Seamus looked like he was about to cry and Harry noticed that his eyes were focused on Dean rather than Ginny which confirmed a suspicion that Harry had had for a long time. Shaking off his guilt at orchestrating the scene, Harry reasoned that this was probably best for Seamus because even though they had never been particularly close, he believed that Seamus deserved better than Dean.

Down the aisle, Ginny and Dean looked both smug and horrified at being caught and Harry almost rolled his eyes at this. After what felt like a suspended moment, Ginny disengaged herself from Dean and in the silence of the greenhouse, there was no mistaking the 'plop' sound that carried throughout the space as Dean's dick popped out of her wet vagina. Hurriedly, the girl pulled down her skirt that had been bunched up at the waist while Dean quickly zipped up his pants as they simultaneously took steps away from each other as if trying to distance themselves from the actions they had been caught doing.

'Harry, I…..., this is not…'Ginny began a feeble attempt at explaining but Harry did not let her. With Neville and Seamus as his witnesses, no one would fault him for ending things with her. More importantly, no one would blame Draco. Everything had gone as planned. All that remained now was to wrap up the show and leave as quickly as he could manage.

'I don't want to hear it, Weasley.' Harry said angrily.

'There is nothing you can say that will make this betrayal go away so don't even bother to explain. You and I are done.' He said with finality and watched as her eyes widened in surprise and horror. He knew that she would not give up easily, but for the moment, he felt a sense of accomplishment as he walked away from greenhouse five and made quick work of the walk back to the East Tower. It was not until he was securely locked in his room that he allowed himself to laugh out loud at the success of his plan. He would not be able to openly be with Draco for a while, but at least he was justifiably no longer obligated to be with Ginny.

After he had come back down from his adrenaline high, Harry had strengthened the wards protecting the tower and he was just in time. Not a few minutes later, two of the golden trio and Ginny had arrived at the entrance and began pounding on the portrait making Aphrodite-the Greek goddess who guarded the entrance- so angry that she had set a suit of Armor on them causing them to run away in fear.

After the incident, Harry had not left the tower, nor had he spoken to anybody, choosing to have dinner and breakfast in his rooms. However, this was the last day of the Easter break and he had known that he had to emerge from the East tower sooner rather than later and that's why he had decided to show up for lunch to gauge the atmosphere. As he had expected, Ginny acted as if she was the one who had been wronged, Ron was not speaking to him, while Hermione was trying her best to regain the status quo, but none of that bothered Harry because, for the first time in ages, he was completely free. There was no Ginny coiled around him like some sort of climbing vine and making even the most basic of movements harder than they should have been, and there was no voice at the back of his mind admonishing him for carrying on with Ginny when all he wanted was Draco. He was free and he allowed a smile to touch his lips before scooping some of the potatoes that Neville had handed him onto his plate.

'Harry….'Hermione began, but a complicated look took over her face before she could finish. 'Why is he back already?' She asked quietly and Harry turned towards the door to see what had caught her attention and his heart literally skipped a beat.

Harry had not expected Draco to be back until that evening with the rest of the students so he was pleasantly surprised to see him walking towards them. Maybe it was because he was finally free from Ginny or because of the revelations they had made to each other only a few nights back but Draco had never looked better to Harry. He wore transparent baby blue robes that revealed the outfit underneath them in great detail. Under the robes, Draco wore a tight white vest tucked into tight white breeches which themselves were tucked into grey-silver knee length dragonhide boots. His platinum-white hair, which appeared to have grown longer during the break was combed loosely over Draco's right shoulder, and Harry could not prevent the sudden butterflies in his stomach and the tightening of his jeans in the groin area. Draco was gorgeous and he stole Harry's breathe as he continued to make his way towards the Gryffindor table.

'What the fuck are you doing back, Malfoy?' A shrieking voice demanded, effectively pulling Harry from the self-induced daze he had been in.

The voice was Ginny and she appeared livid, but that did not seem to phase Draco, who only spared her one scathing look before he turned all his attention back to Harry.

'You are back.' Harry said stupidly and he saw a corner of Draco's mouth lift up in amusement.

'Nice catch Harry, I didn't think you would notice.' The blonde said and Harry smiled goofily as he looked at him. He had missed this. He had missed the banter, weird humour…, he had missed everything about Draco, but he could not allow himself to grab his husband and hug him like he wanted-at least not in the middle of the Great Hall. He could see the same emotions in Draco's eyes and that somehow allowed him to relax and talk in a somewhat even tone.

'Welcome back.' Harry said awkwardly. 'Did you have a good holiday?'

'Thanks to you.' Draco said as he handed a wrapped box to the Gryffindor who looked at it sheepishly for a moment before grabbing it.

'What is it?' Harry asked as he turned the box every which way to try and figure out what was within. He was aware that everyone in the hall was looking at them, some were analysing every nuance of the interaction trying to understand each word and undertone. However, at that moment, Harry did not care even though he knew that he should. He was just happy that Draco was back.

'Open it.' Draco told him instead and there was a mischievous look in his eyes that made Harry wary but interested at the same time. Cautiously, Harry lifted the lid off the box and within was a Dragon World bud like he had received a little over twenty-four hours ago. Carefully, he lifted the flower in his hands and watched it bloom into beautiful blue-purple flowers that curved at the top.

'What do they mean?' Harry asked.

'They…'

'They are bellflowers Harry and they mean 'unwavering love'.' Hermione interrupted before Draco could answer. Her voice was urgent and she was looking at the hand that was holding the flowers suspiciously. As if she was afraid that poison would seep into Harry's body from the flowers. Overcoming her caution, Hermione made a grab for the flowers with every intention to throw them away, but Harry reflexively moved them out of her reach much to her displeasure and the displeasure of most of the Gryffindors at the table. To them, even a cheating Ginny was better than Malfoy and that irked Harry to no end.

'Don't be common Granger.' Draco said with an exasperated sneer, but Harry could still see mischief in the boy's eyes, which made him think that Draco had intentionally courted the ambiguity of the flower's meaning. 'Campanula also symbolise gratitude.'

'If 'thank you' is what you wanted to say, it should have bloomed into hydrangeas instead of bellflowers.' Hermione argued with a self-assurance that irritated Draco and that irritation bloomed into anger when he heard what she had to say next. 'I have been thinking about how that Dragon World flower spell works, and I know for sure that the flower takes the form of the most dominant secret emotion in a person'.

Draco saw red at her words, but there was no discernible change on his face to show his changed mood. Harry knew just the same though. The Slytherin's eyes were no longer mischievous and for a single heartbeat, Harry could have sworn that he could feel a spark of the hidden anger within himself. For a single beat, he could feel an overwhelming anger that was not his own, but a feeling he immediately recognised as Draco's. It reminded him of that one time that they had been able to telepathically communicate after Harry's magic went berserk due to Dumbledore's machinations. He, however, did not have time to dwell on it because Draco began to speak in a highly controlled voice that did not betray his anger. Harry had no idea what his husband was angry about so he listened and watched attentively in hopes of figuring it out.

'I don't know whether to call you shallow or just plain stupid Granger.' Draco said and for a moment, he seemed to be pondering the question of whether she was actually stupid or shallow. 'I don't know who you think you are to decide what the spell does, but from what happened during Valentine's day, even you should have been able to figure it out. That spell is not meant to force people to confess their secret love or some such nonsense, it only says what the sender wants to say-nothing more, nothing less.'

Draco knew that he should keep his calm, but he couldn't when someone misconstrued the intent of one of his creations. More than anyone else, he understood that people have hidden depths and hidden feelings to them, but he also understood that no one has any right to make others own up to those feelings and depths before they were ready because that could only lead to disaster. So, what if he loved Harry? For the moment, it was enough for only him to know and when the time was right, Harry and the rest of the world would also know. The flower had bloomed into bellflowers not because it was expressing his secret love for Harry, but because he wanted to express his gratitude to Harry for helping him convince Dumbledore to let him go home for the break. Granger had no right whatsoever to ascribe a flawed intention to his spell. Forcing himself to calm down, Draco looked straight at the girl with a challenge in his eyes.

'For the sake of argument, what would you have thought I intended to say to Potter if it had turned into hydrangeas?' He asked.

'Thank you.' She answered imperiously and Draco sneered.

'I call bullshit.' He stated. 'Given our history and the bond business, you would have assumed that I was insulting him by calling him 'frigid' or 'heartless'. Aren't those the other meanings of hydrangeas?'

'Well….'She began, but Draco cut her off.

'You aren't as smart as you think you are so don't presume to know everything.' He said, totally done with the girl.

'Thank you for your help two weeks ago Harry, I will head to the tower now.' The Slytherin muttered to Harry and made to leave the hall.

'I will go with you.' Harry said as he quickly stood up from his seat and thinking that people would find it weird for him to accompany Draco to the tower, he explained himself. 'I changed some of the wards yesterday and I haven't had time to include you.'

Draco nodded at the explanation and began to walk away when he was once again stopped, but this time by someone who hadn't said a word since the debacle began.

'Malfoy, how exactly do you know what the Dragon World flower spell was intended for?' Ron Weasley asked and there was no mistaking the suspicion in his eyes and tone. He had known that Malfoy was somehow connected to the inventor of Dragon World and this altercation had solidified his belief. Malfoy knew more than he was telling and more than ever, Ron was determined to ferret the truth out.

'Like I said, anyone with half a brain should have been able to figure it out.' Draco answered. The answer was a clear dig at Hermione's intelligence.

As he walked back with Harry to their tower, Draco couldn't help the feeling that he had slipped up and allowed Weasley to figure out more than he should. He needed to be more careful because he did not want his identity as the owner of Dragon World to be exposed just yet. For now, though, he just wanted to get into his rooms with Harry and forget the world outside their tower. Shaking the gloomy cloud that had come over him, Draco waited until Harry had included him in the wards and then stepped through the portrait hole to find the Gryffindor waiting in the foyer. Awkwardly, they watched the portrait swing shut behind him and then moved as one into each other's arms.

'I missed you.' Draco admitted frankly and he felt Harry's arms tighten around him. He loved Dragon castle and he had been happy there, but standing within Harry's arms at the base of the stairs that led to their rooms in the tower, Draco felt content and happier than he had ever been. This was home. Wherever Harry was, was home to him and it didn't matter that they could only be this way in the privacy of their own rooms.

'I missed you too.' Harry answered hoarsely and Draco lay his head on Harry's shoulder as the other held him even closer. They stayed like that for a few minutes and then interlocked their fingers and began to slowly head upstairs. They only realised that they had no idea what to do when they stepped into their rooms, so they awkwardly stood at the door until Harry's growling stomach broke the tense atmosphere.

'I didn't manage to eat anything before we headed up here.' Harry explained sheepishly, a light blush staining his slightly tanned face.

'You are in luck then.' Draco said as he pulled Harry towards the dining area that they rarely used.

'I was hoping you wouldn't have eaten already.' The Slytherin said as he pushed Harry into a chair and proceeded to remove something from his pocket. Before Harry could ask what he was doing, Draco enlarged the shrunk basket that he had brought with him from Dragon Castle.

'I actually came back early because I was hoping to have lunch with you before the feast tonight.' Draco explained and Harry could see the pink blush that coloured his husband's pale face at the admission. The sight made butterflies rampage in his stomach all over again. It made him happy that Draco had intentionally planned to spend some time with him.

From the basket and to Harry's surprise, Draco removed three pots, a bottle of wine that was in an ice bucket, plates, cutlery, and wine glasses.

'Wow.' Harry intoned as he watched Draco lay everything out. 'You came prepared.'

'Of course, who do you think I am?!' Draco asked in amusement as he finished placing the forks before taking his place beside Harry.

'Help yourself.' He continued and took the pot lids off to expose the content that was within, which made Harry's mouth water and his stomach to growl even more.

'I have never had any of this.' Harry said as he scooped some black grains onto his plate. 'What are they?'

'The one you're serving right now is wild rice.' Draco answered right away as he pointed at the dish. 'That other one is pot-roasted pork with apples and the last one is a sauce'.

'I hope you like pork…'Draco trailed uncertainly.

'I love pork.' Harry assured and served loads of the dish onto his plate.

'Good.' Draco answered with a smile before reaching for the chilled wine.

'The wine is a 1949 red, burgundy from France.'

'I know nothing about wines but I trust your judgement.' Harry said which made Draco smile even more.

'Wine vintages were part of my education growing up, it was expected that I should be able to have that knowledge at the tip of my fingers.' Draco stated which surprised Harry because the Slytherin was notoriously private about his home life. 'I like wine though, so I didn't mind.'

'My relatives like to think of themselves as 'high society' so they have wine with every meal, but I doubt they can differentiate one wine from the next.' Harry said with a shrug.

His knowledge of wine which had been acquired from the Dursley's extended to knowing the difference between white and red but that was all. In all honesty, he had never been interested, but his first taste of the burgundy-as Draco had called it, made him think that maybe he should have been. The food was more delicious than anything he had ever eaten, including his beloved treacle tart and the wine went perfectly with it. He felt as if he was in culinary heaven as he ate and drank what had been laid out before him.

'Everything is delicious.' Harry said as he took another forkful of the pork into his mouth. 'Your house-elves are very talented.'

'How do you know that I didn't make it?' Draco inquired, a blush on his face.

'Did you?' There was surprise in Harry's tone which made Draco sit up defensively.

'I could have.' He hedged.

'…but did you?'

'I chose the food and the wine.' Draco answered with a huff causing Harry to snort lightly.

'I will have you know that I tried…, I just don't know what happened.

'Draco continued self-consciously as he recalled the disaster of his attempt at cooking. He had closely watched an elf prepare it, but when he had tried to do it himself, everything had gone wrong and the end result was not edible. After several tries and very confused elves who could not understand how their master was messing up the food, he had given up and allowed one of the elves to make it.

'I don't care whether you made it or not, I am happy that you thought of it and tried.' Harry said quietly and lightly placed his hand on top of Draco's which was laying on the counter. Shyly, he brought the hand to his mouth and placed a light kiss on the palm, all the time his eyes looking directly into Draco's.

Draco cleared his throat lightly, but he did not remove his hand from Harry's which made eating and drinking slightly more difficult but he did not care. The rest of lunch was spent talking about what had happened during the break-at least as much as they could reveal anyway. Draco could not tell Harry about Dragon World or its activities yet, but he could share details about his home and he did so in such detail that Harry could picture the rooms, the grounds, and the atmosphere as Draco had seen it. Although he did not say it, Harry hoped that he would be able to visit and call Dragon Castle 'home' when all was said and done.

On his part, Harry told Draco about his training in preparation for the war, and about his break up with Ginny which brought such a radiant smile to Draco's lips that Harry regretted not doing it sooner. They also talked about the foreign students who would be arriving that evening and the purpose of their visit. Draco had suspected that there was more to the sudden school exchange and finding out that Harry was the focus of the investigation, he realised that he would need to be more careful lest some of the students caught on to his secrets.

Harry did not mention anything about the world divination orb because he had a suspicion that he was yet to confirm. Everyone thought the divination was about him, but deep down, Harry felt that it wasn't so. He was almost sure that it was about….

'Harry….' Draco called and Harry turned inquisitive eyes to him. More than wanting to know why Draco had called him, Harry wanted to know everything about Draco. He wanted to know whether his suspicions were right. That Draco, his Draco was somehow involved with the divination in ways that would likely cause the blonde more heartache and trouble than he was experiencing now. Looking at the bright silver eyes that held so much longing as they looked at him, Harry concluded that he would not allow anybody to harm Draco even if he had to stand against the world. As he thought this and tightened his hold on Draco's hand, Harry had no way of knowing that he would literally need to stand between Draco and the world in a matter of months.

'Harry, can we….'Draco continued shyly and with a mischievous grin, Harry pulled him until he landed on the Gryffindor's lap; his face inches away from the raven's, and all their thoughts dissipated like smoke as their lips met for the first time in weeks.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

At the exact moment that Harry pulled Draco onto his lap, a door into a car aboard the Hogwarts express opened and Luna Lovegood walked in. Some of the carriages at the back of the train had been combined into one large car so that the foreign students and other students who might wish it could sit together and get to know each other.

'Hello, I am Luna Lovegood.' The blonde girl introduced herself loudly and took a window seat before retrieving the latest edition of the Quibbler from her bag.

The car had quieted when she walked in and it took almost fifteen minutes of attempting to look harmless and even a bit strange with her upside-down Quibbler before conversations resumed. Most were hushed up and in languages, Luna did not understand, but she didn't need to understand it now. Later, herself and some Slytherins would acquire a pensive and a translation spell that would allow them to decode everything she would manage to overhear in the hours it took for the train to arrive at Hogsmeade.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hi once again. Chapter 37 is up and our boys are finally together. I had missed them a lot and I hope you had too. Things will get pretty heated up from now on in terms of romance, politics, war, etc. and I can't wait. Please look forward to that.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-eight as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	38. Luzie Schieren

**Chapter 38-Luzie Schieren**

Harry was over it all! When Dumbledore had first told him about the exchange students who would be coming to Hogwarts, he had thought that he could somehow handle them and himself but nothing was further from the truth. Nothing could have prepared him for the physical and emotional toll of having more than forty people actively following and studying his every action. It was only two weeks since the foreign students had arrived at Hogwarts and he was ready to pack everything he owned, grab Draco, and escape from the castle in the middle of the night. The only thing that stopped him from doing that was that he wasn't sure that it would even work.

On the first day, he had discovered one of the Koldovstoretz students following him around in his shadow. It was only a stroke of luck that he had encountered Luna Lovegood, who for some reason could see the girl in his shadow and warned Harry about it. Harry had later found out that the girl's name is Alina Sokolov and she had the ability to merge so seamlessly with any shadow that you wouldn't know she was there unless you happened to pass by a mirror. Until that point, Harry had expected that he would need to be on the lookout for Veritaserum and other truth potions but he was quickly disabused of that notion because it turned out that he needed to be wary of everything.

Just when Harry had begun to panic and get paranoid about every shadow and strange behaviour, Draco had saved him. It was three days after the arrival of the students that Draco had presented him with a two-foot-long parchment and walked away without explaining to Harry how he had gotten the information. In the parchment, the Slytherin had meticulously listed the names and magic of most of the foreign students and it is then that Harry realised that it would not be enough to avoid taking any food and drinks from people. Other than the girl who could merge with shadows, he found that all the Uagadou students were animagi and because he did not know their animal forms, Harry could no longer afford to be comfortable around any animals. There were also the twin girls from Mahoutokoro who used some sort of mind magic and not to mention all the male and female students who were attempting to seduce him. Not even sleep was safe for him because he found out that there was a dream walker amongst the new arrivals. Everything was becoming too much to bear and the only thing he could be glad about is that none of the students had become residents of the East tower.

The East tower was the only safe place for Harry in the castle, but he lived in dread that someone would somehow figure out how to break the protections surrounding the tower. Harry just wanted everything to stop but nothing in the past two weeks had given him any hope that the intrusion would soon be over.

Sighing in resignation and exhaustion, he tiredly dragged his resistant feet towards the Gryffindor table for breakfast. He must have been more out of it than he thought because he did not see the person before the collision happened. He was walking towards his seat in one moment and flat on the ground in the next; with a girl sprawled all over him. The girl was beautiful with long dark brown hair and bright blue eyes and he instantly recognised her as one of the exchange students. He remembered that she was a Durmstrang student who had been sorted into Hufflepuff.

'Am so sorry.' The girl said as she quickly scrambled off him.

'No, I am the one who should be sorry.' Harry apologised and he actually meant it. This girl was among the few exchange students who hadn't been too aggressive in trying to spy on him.

'I am Luzie Schieren by the way.' She continued as she extended her hand for Harry to take.

Noticing that he was still on the floor, Harry stood up and without thinking twice, he took her hand and regretted that thoughtless decision a second later. With her hand still clasped in his, her eyes rolled over so that only the whites could be seen and he belatedly remembered that her name and magic had been on the parchment that Draco had given him. Luzie Schieren was a powerful seer who could see into a person's future by physical contact. Although Harry quickly took back his hand once he recalled that, it was already too late and the only thing he could do was stupidly stand there and wait for her to come out of her trance.

It was useless for Harry to hope that no one had noticed the commotion because everyone was looking at them in either confusion or excitement. The Durmstrang students seemed the most excited because they knew of her ability and they hoped that she had discovered something where everyone else had failed. It was two weeks since they arrived and none of them had found out anything worthy of reporting.

Schieren came out of her trance about eight minutes after she had entered it but to Harry, it felt like he had been waiting for a lifetime. He had no idea what she had seen, but there was a complicated look on her face that made him both curious and afraid to ask what she had seen.

'You know it's not you.' She said in a low voice that even Harry, who was only a few feet away from her had to strain to hear. She said it in such a sure voice that Harry caught himself stealing a discrete look at Draco, who was also looking at the scene in both curiosity and trepidation.

To the International Confederation of Wizards and Dumbledore, it was logical to assume that whatever strange magic would be appearing in England would be connected to either him or Voldemort, but Harry had somehow known from the very beginning that it was not him. There was no logic or reason as to why he believed the magic was connected to Draco but he instinctively knew it. Maybe he would come to understand it later, but for now, he knew what he knew.

Harry had no idea how to react now that someone knew what he had suspected all along so he nodded his head and hoped that he had not made the wrong decision. Schieren didn't seem surprised with his answer and without saying anything more, she fell into a thoughtful silence that made Harry uncomfortable.

'Miss Schieren, perhaps you would like to talk in my office?' Headmaster Dumbledore asked as he stood up from his seat at the teachers' table and from the corner of his eye, Harry could see some of the other foreign students shifting in their seats as if they were ready to follow the headmaster.

The Durmstrang student didn't reply to the headmaster for such a long time that Harry begun to suspect that she may not have heard him. He was about to nudge her when she seemed to have come to a decision from whatever internal monologue she had been having.

'No.' She answered loudly much to the shock of everyone in the hall, especially Dumbledore and the foreign students. They had understood the headmaster's request to talk in the privacy of his office as giving her a chance to report what she had discovered so they did not understand her sudden refusal.

'I am afraid I do not understand your refusal…'Dumbledore said, at a loss of how to react to the situation. He did not want to say too much and alert the Hogwarts' students to what was going on. It was not yet time for them to find out the real purpose of the exchange program.

'…. before we talk in your office, I would like to request a restriction spell to be placed on me.' Luzie said shocking the listeners even more. The Durmstrang students were enraged that she would try to prevent herself from revealing whatever it is that she had seen in Potter's future.

'Miss Schieren, you can explain your reasons when we get to my office and if your reasons are truly valid, I will not object to your request.' Dumbledore said reasonably but Schieren knew that the old man would find a way to pry into what she had seen before he agreed to perform the spell.

'I am afraid that I cannot leave this hall before the spell is performed.' The girl said stubbornly and Harry could not stand the not knowing any longer.

'What is a restriction spell?' He asked both the headmaster and the girl standing next to him.

'A restriction spell is a special spell that can only be used on seers to prevent them from revealing their visions of the future to anybody. Not even an unbreakable vow can force a seer to reveal any futures protected by the restriction spell.' Dumbledore explained and Harry understood what the fuss was all about. If the restriction spell was placed on Luzie Schieren, she would not be able to reveal whatever future, she had seen to the International confederation although she had taken an unbreakable vow to be truthful and forthright with whatever information she managed to gather.

'You are a seer?' Hermione asked the girl and she could not completely manage to hide her contempt -not that she tried. Hermione's experience with Trelawney had not given her a good impression of seers.

'Yes, I am.' Luzie answered proudly. 'I happened to foresee Harry Potter's future when I greeted him a moment ago.'

'Harry Potter is a public figure and his future has great repercussions for us all. What possible reason could there be for keeping what you saw; from him and us all?' An Ilvermorny student named Alexander Davis who had been sorted into Gryffindor asked angrily.

'The simple reason is that the world cannot afford for the future to be changed.' Luzie Schieren said and that answer surprised everyone including Harry.

'Who are you to decide that?' The Ilvermorny boy argued and Schieren sneered.

'I am the person who had a vision of a world-ending catastrophe in the near future.' That quieted the voices that had agreed with Davis but Dumbledore was not that easily dissuaded.

'Don't you think that telling us would be the best option to prevent that catastrophe?' Dumbledore asked.

'Professor, the future is not a book that I am able to read page by page.' Schieren explained. 'I saw the catastrophe and I saw that its occurrence is a foregone conclusion which was foretold centuries ago. I did not see how or why it started, but I saw a glimpse of those with the power to stop it before the situation becomes devastating. The future must not be changed otherwise we are all doomed.'

'Surely…'

'The future is a funny thing headmaster Dumbledore.' The girl interrupted. 'Any pre-emptive measures could be the ones that end up causing problems. I will not take the risk of doing something that could jeopardise the future of every living thing on this planet.'

'Mr Potter must be prepared…'

'Harry Potter already knows everything he needs to know to arrive where he needs to go.' The girl said assuredly and looked at Harry cryptically.

Although Harry had begun feeling a bit flustered and uncertain from the overload of information, that one look from the seer assured him. There was no need to do anything special; all he had to do was live the way he wanted and Draco would figure things out when it came to it.

'I understand.' He said much to the shock of everyone who knew him. Harry was not a patient kind of person; that he wasn't being pushy about this meant that he knew something that they didn't.

'Good.' Schieren said and smiled at him. 'Now, for the restriction spell, would you mind casting it Mr Malfoy?'

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hi guys. Chapter 38 was super short. It was originally part of another chapter but I cut it because it was too long. Anyway, the next chapter will be longer.

Apologies again for the long wait. It's been soo busy at my work and I barely had the chance to write or edit. Hopefully, you all enjoyed the chapter.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter thirty-nine as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	39. A Move with Tempo

**A/N:** The chapter picks up where the last left off...

'Good.' Schieren said and smiled at him. 'Now, for the restriction spell, would you mind casting it Mr Malfoy?'

 **Chapter 39-A Move with Tempo**

Harry was hard pressed not to glare at Schieren as she turned away from him to look at Draco, who was still seated at the Slytherin table. She had said that she did not want the future to be changed, but in asking Draco to perform the restriction spell, she had drawn unnecessary attention to him and neither Dumbledore nor the other foreign students would ignore it.

At the other end of the Great Hall, Draco's mind was racing. He had not had the occasion to speak to the girl since she had arrived at Hogwarts so he had no idea why she had suddenly asked him to perform the restriction spell.

 _Was it because he was Harry's husband?_

Somehow, he didn't think that was the case and neither did everyone in the hall because they were looking at him in suspicion and accusation. He had expected the suspicion, but the accusation was a surprise since he was not the one who had suggested the restriction spell. The only reason that Draco could think of that explained why they were looking at him in accusation was that he was about to perform the spell and deprive them of knowing what the seer had seen in Harry's future.

Looking at it that way made him realise that the only people in the Great hall who actually wanted the spell to be performed were Harry and Schieren. Harry obviously could not perform the spell because the vision was about him, but there was no reason whatsoever for Schieren to believe that Draco could. It would have been logical for her to assume that Draco wouldn't want to do it because he, like everyone else, wanted to learn the truth.

 _Why was she so confident that Draco would do it?_

In all honesty, Draco also wanted to know what she had foreseen, but nevertheless, he began the walk towards the pair that was still standing close to the Gryffindor table. He was undecided on whether he should perform the spell and it was when he was pondering the issue that a thought suddenly occurred to him and he stopped in his tracks. Apprehensively, he turned questioning eyes on the girl and as if she had been waiting for him to realise it, Schieren nodded her head.

Draco wanted to curse, but he forced himself to remain calm and think. From the smile and nod, she had given him, he surmised that she knew that he was the owner of Dragon World and that his Grey faction was more than a joke. She had also guessed that he would be able to decipher her logic in asking him to perform the spell and she was right in gambling on the fact that he would not take the risk of having his secrets revealed to Dumbledore or anybody else. Quicker than before, Draco resumed his walk towards the girl with every intention of performing the restriction spell before she changed her mind.

It was not yet time for the world to find out about the owner of Dragon World and to become aware of the Grey Faction. Now was especially not a good time because Lord Edwin Berkley had sent word that he had finally managed to petition the Wizengamot about the werewolf issue. The note had said that the Wizengamot would be convening the next morning to discuss whether the ministry of magic should give back the property that had been confiscated from former werewolves and if that was not possible, whether the ministry should provide monetary compensation. Knowing that, Draco could not afford for the world to find out about his involvement in the issue because it would only prove to be negative for the former werewolves.

By the time Draco stood before the Durmstrang girl, he had already steeled his resolve.

'Nice move.' Draco said in a low voice as he looked at the girl. He could not help but smile at her even though she had placed him in a difficult situation. It was not often that someone got one over him, but that was the least that anyone could expect from a seer.

'It's a move with tempo.' The girl said and Draco's eyes widened in surprise at the chess term.

'For who?' He asked.

'You of course.' She said confidently and Draco could only stare incredulously because he could not see how. If anything, this was a move that made him lose a tempo because from now on, he would need to take more precautions in keeping his secrets secret. He knew that the foreign students would start paying him as much attention as they did Harry and that would severely constrain his movements.

'How so?' He asked and she smiled.

'All of them will spend the whole day trying to figure out why I chose you and the two at the top will fail to prepare for tomorrow's Wizengamot.' She answered and Draco could see the mirth in her eyes.

'Now, Mr Malfoy, shall we get on with it?' Schieren asked in a loud voice when Draco was about to ask more questions.

'Miss Schieren, I would urge you to reconsider.' Dumbledore pleaded urgently. He was desperate to prevent the ritual, especially now that he had observed the whispered conversation between the girl and Malfoy. The only thing that prevented him from physically or magically interfering was the public setting. The backlash from interfering with a seer seeking to perform a restriction ritual would be too severe for even a person of his status to handle.

'I am sorry, but I will not change my mind headmaster Dumbledore.' The girl said and the tone of her voice told Dumbledore that there was no room for negotiation.

'Harry, are you sure you don't want to ask her anything?' Draco unexpectedly asked and for a minute, Harry was tempted to.

He could tell that Draco had already figured out why she had asked him to perform the spell and he had also overheard some of the things that they had been whispering about so it was impossible for him not to have questions. However, he shook his head in the negative. Despite his curiosity, Harry firmly believed that how he ended up living his life should not be influenced by whatever Schieren had foreseen. He had had enough of prophecies dictating how he lived.

'I am sure.' He affirmed.

'Okay, I will perform the spell.' Draco said and there was angry muttering all around the hall. The foreign students were especially angry, but like Dumbledore, they all knew that there was nothing that could be done to stop it. 'Harry, move away for a bit.'

When both Harry and Draco were about two meters away from Schieren, Draco pointed his wand at her and began reciting the words that would initiate the restriction spell.

'Calling on Janus; beholder of the past and the future.' Draco said in a loud voice and a blue magic circle that was about one and a half meters in diameter appeared on the ground beneath Schieren.

'Guardian of time and passages; grant her wish and restrict her vision to the present.'

Magic flared from the circle the moment that Draco was finished with the spell and Schieren was covered in blue light for about two minutes before the light dissipated and she fell unceremoniously to the ground.

'Did it work?' Draco asked cautiously once the seer had picked herself up from the ground.

'Yes.' She said with a smile. 'I can remember it, but I cannot say anything about it, thank you.'

Draco accepted the gratitude with a nod and she came closer to him.

'I will find you later, so have my Grey faction badge ready.' She whispered and before Draco could say anything, Schieren made her way out of the hall, followed closely by Dumbledore and the other foreign students.

'What did she say?' Harry questioned in curiosity.

'I will tell you later.' Draco answered and instead of going back to the Slytherin table to finish his breakfast, he went to the East tower. His thoughts were chaotic and he needed to sit down and decide what to do from then on.

In the end, Draco and Harry did not get a chance to talk since the teachers did not deem the disturbance at breakfast to be enough to warrant a free day. After classes, Harry had gone to an emergency Order of the Phoenix meeting followed by training with Dumbledore. It was already past midnight when he finally made it back to the East tower and he was too tired by then to have any meaningful discussion. Thankfully, the next day was a Saturday and since Dumbledore was attending the Wizengamot meeting, Harry slept in and did not wake up until eleven.

Harry was alone in bed when he woke up and feeling as if he hadn't seen Draco in ages, he went in search of him and found him poring over something in the sitting room. He quietly made his towards him and before the blonde could detect his presence, Harry bent over and kissed Draco's hair causing the Slytherin to reflexively sit up.

'You are up?' He asked benignly.

'No, am still sleeping genius.' Harry answered with a chuckle as they both recalled that Draco had once replied in the same manner right after the belladonna poisoning incident.

'Touche.' Draco replied, but there was a smile on his face. 'Did you sleep well?'

'Yes.' The Gryffindor answered as he walked around the sofa to take a seat next to Draco. 'I could have woken better though.'

Harry wiggled his eyebrows as he said that and Draco flushed pink in embarrassment.

'Pervert.'

'Hmm, somehow I don't think you mind.' Harry said as he pulled Draco closer to him.

'You are right, I don't.' He answered and Harry smiled.

'You are yet to tell me what Schieren said to you before she left.' Harry asked. It was really not the best conversation to have in the position they were in but Harry was still very curious about it.

Draco took a minute to think about how much he should tell Harry and when he decided, he looked directly at Harry and spoke.

'She said that she wants to join the Grey faction.'

'I see.'

Harry should have been surprised by the news, but he wasn't. He hadn't expected that that was what Schieren had said, but now that he was confronted with this reality, he didn't think that it was an inconceivable development.

'Harry, the reason…'Draco began, but he seemed to be having some difficulty saying what he wanted to say.

'Harry…,' He began again. 'The reason that she chose me yesterday is that she knows some of my secrets including the fact that my Grey faction is serious.'

'I suspected as much.' Harry said in a solemn voice after a moment of contemplation. 'I heard her say something about a move with tempo…, what does that even mean?'

Draco looked at Harry for a moment and then decided to tell him the truth about what was happening with the Wizengamot.

'Well, in chess, a tempo means one move.' Draco began. 'A player can gain or lose a tempo depending on how they play. Gaining a tempo means using fewer moves than necessary to get what you want and losing a tempo means using more moves than necessary to get what you want. When one makes a move with tempo, it means that they are getting what they want by making the enemy waste their moves.'

'I understand the concept, but what does that have to do with anything?'

'Say, what do you think Dumbledore and Voldemort did all day yesterday after the debacle in the Great Hall?' Draco asked and Harry didn't even need to think about it.

'If they are smart and I am led to believe that they are, they spent all day trying to figure out why Schieren chose you to perform the spell. They probably also tried to figure out if there is a way to remove the restriction spell and if not; if there is a way to work around it.' In fact, Harry already knew that Dumbledore was thinking that way since he had said as much during the Order meeting. He was also inclined to think that Voldemort would have pursued the same thinking after his spies told him what had happened.

'Exactly….'Draco beamed. 'They probably spent their time doing exactly that and forgot whatever else they had planned for the day.'

'I don't get it…'Harry said in confusion.

'Harry, do you remember reading about Lord Edwin Berkeley in the Quibbler and Prophet over the past few weeks?'

'Yes, but what has that got to do with anything?'

'Well, he petitioned the Wizengamot about wanting the ministry to compensate or return the property of former werewolves and the hearing was set for today.' Draco explained but Harry still seemed confused so he went on with the explanation.

'The petition was only accepted by the ministry on Thursday evening. This means that both Dumbledore and Voldemort only had yesterday to make plans with their allies in the Wizengamot. However, if they both prioritised the event in the great hall instead of their original plans as we believe, then they have unknowingly walked into an ambush which will help Lord Berkeley get what he wants that much faster.'

'What does that mean?' Harry asked.

'Do you think the Wizengamot will vote to give back the properties that had been taken from werewolves?' Draco asked.

'I doubt it.' Harry answered.

'They won't vote for it because most of the property now belongs to the members of the council or influential people.' Draco affirmed. 'The minister of magic has been getting a lot of pressure from the media to return the property. He probably approved the petition because he knew that the Wizengamot will vote the petition down. The media's attention would then shift from the minister to the Wizengamot when that happens.'

'Bastards.' Harry muttered angrily and Draco smiled.

'Don't worry, it won't happen like that.' Draco's smile widened as he said that and Harry raised an eyebrow in question.

'If I was Dumbledore or Voldemort, I would have tried to ally with Lord Edwin Berkley when the petition was approved.' Draco said. 'I would have promised to convince the members in my faction to vote for the petition and compensate for some of what they have taken from the former werewolves. In exchange, I would have had Lord Berkeley pledge himself and the other former werewolves to my faction. After all, the former werewolves are still incredibly strong and with the looming war, having them would be a great advantage.'

'How will not being able to ally with Lord Berkley lead to an ambush?' Harry asked.

'Well, because they will not have had the opportunity to find out that Lord Berkeley will not ally with them.' Draco answered, an evil smile on his face. 'He would have refused both sides if they had gone to him with the proposal for an alliance. When that happened, they would have had the opportunity to wonder why he was refusing their offer when he clearly has no allies in the Wizengamot who can help him with the petition. It would not have helped them stop what is about to happen, but they would have at least had a suspicion that they were walking into a trap. That way, they could have prepared something to momentarily get in the way of Lord Berkley's plans.'

'How do you know so much about it?' Harry asked as he seriously considered what Draco had said. 'You can't know how Lord Berkeley would have reacted.'

'I know because he is in my Grey faction.' Draco disclosed and Harry finally understood that the minister of magic had made the wrong decision when he approved the petition.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 _ **At the**_ _ **same time, in the ministry of magic's courtroom 10…...**_

'As the presiding chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I Albus Brian Wulfric Dumbledore, bearer of the first order of Merlin would like to present the petition submitted by Wizengamot councilman Lord Edwin Berkley.'

Dumbledore continued after a beat,' the petition requests that the Wizengamot issue a decree that requires the ministry of magic to begin procedures to reinstate the former werewolves as citizens of the England wizarding community and return their confiscated properties as is due them.'

There was a bit of grumbling as some of the council members talked amongst themselves. Most of them felt that the petition was utter rubbish and that bringing it to the Wizengamot was a complete waste of their precious time. After all, there was no way that the Wizengamot was going to issue such a decree!

On his part, Edwin could hear the grumbling and feel the glares levelled at him, but he pretended not to notice anything. He resolutely looked at Dumbledore as he waited for him to continue with the proceedings.

'We shall begin by taking an initial vote and then debate the issue before taking another vote. If the results of the second vote do not differ from the first, the results shall be considered as the decision of the council. If the results significantly differ, we shall continue the debate and take another vote. The process will be repeated until a decision is made.' Dumbledore informed, but he did not think that the issue would get past the second debate.

He had originally planned to speak to the Berkley boy and offer his support, but yesterday's events had derailed his plans. However, he wasn't very regretful about it because the issue and vote could be revisited in the future, which would give him a chance to make an alliance with the boy. In fact, today's defeat would make it easier for the young lord to chose an alliance with the light. Satisfied with his thought process, Dumbledore cleared his throat to get the attention of everyone in the room.

'Please show your support for the motion by standing up.' Dumbledore called and then stood up. Several people, including Augusta Longbottom and Amelia Bones also stood up, but the seated members were clearly the majority. Dumbledore was about to commence the debate when he noticed that the petitioner was still seated.

'Lord Berkley, could it be that you have petitioned a motion that you do not support?' He asked the young lord who appeared to be viewing the situation with undue amusement.

'If I have leave to speak?' Lord Berkley asked, and Dumbledore gestured for the supporters to retake their seats before giving Lord Berkley leave to speak. 'I believe you have misconstrued my intentions honourable chief Warlock.'

'How so Lord Berkley?' Dumbledore inquired.

'The issue before us is not a simple criminal case that can be decided at the whim of wizards.' There was angry muttering as the members of the council objected to the assertion that their decisions were based on whim. However, Edwin didn't pay it much attention and continued with his speech.

'When the original members of the Wizengamot came together in 1707 to create the ministry of magic and the wizarding laws, they invoked magical law to ensure that the decisions they arrived at were not for personal gain but for the good of the entire wizarding world.'

Lord Berkley could see the horrified realisation on the faces of some of the Wizengamot members and he almost burst out in laughter but he restrained himself. They should have wondered why he had requested to hold the meeting in courtroom ten instead of the regular rooms but their realisation was coming too late because the magic of the room was already taking effect. To hammer the nail in, he made the formal declaration.

'For this discussion of wizarding law with regards to magical beings, I would like to invoke the impartiality law.' There was a loud whoosh as one would hear if they trapped wind in an enclosed space and before anyone could react, they felt something sweep over them before disappearing seconds later.

It had been more than a century since the last time that the impartiality law had been used and although some like Dumbledore knew that it existed, there had been no one willing to use it in the past decades. The simple reason for its disuse was because the magic invoked by the law forced the Wizengamot members to completely disregard their own interests in whatever issue was in front of them.

At some point in time, the Wizengamot had become a playground for people to further their own agendas. Laws were passed not because they had merit, but because they benefitted the proposer and their allies. It had become the norm to trade favours in order to pass laws, but Draco had decided that the Grey faction could not afford to follow that trend. Getting allied with either the light or dark was not an option, not if they wanted to change how things had become. If they gave in even a bit, they would end up giving in a lot, and they had already given up too much to take the easy way out.

The impartiality law is the answer that they had found after painstakingly searching for a way to get laws passed without having to compromise their beliefs. They would probably end up suffering for taking this hard way, but it was the only way that made sense to the members of the Grey faction. The only way to avoid being trapped in the mire of Wizengamot corruption was by doing everything by the book even if it alienated Lord Berkley from the other Wizengamot members.

'Very well Lord Berkley.' Dumbledore said through gritted teeth. No faction could be a winner when things were like this and he regretted that he had not reached out to the man when he had the chance. The family had been very influential before their fall and he should have expected that they wouldn't stay quiet for long. _This was clearly a ploy to re-establish the Berkley family to their previous status!_

'State your position.' Dumbledore said curtly.

'I am arguing that werewolves are not citizens of wizarding England, thus their properties should not be under ministry control.' Edwin said in an almost pleasant voice.

'That is preposterous.' One of the councilmen said and most of the others nodded their heads in agreement.

'I propose that we begin by examining the question of what makes a person a citizen.' Edwin said and some of the others sighed, this was going to be a very tedious task. 'Chief Warlock, according to the law, what makes a person a citizen?'

Dumbledore muttered something, flicked his wand, and thick copies of the wizarding law of England appeared on each councillor's desk.

'A citizen as decided by the formulators of our law is a person who enjoys the rights of wizarding England and takes responsibility of enjoying said rights by contributing to the community.' Dumbledore said and his face darkened as understanding began to sink in.

'Exactly.' Lord Berkley said. 'From now, I want us to examine the rights and responsibilities of a citizen of wizarding England in relation to werewolves and people with active creature blood. I propose that the moment a person is turned into a werewolf or other magical creature, they cease to be a citizen of England. If a person with active magical creature blood is not a citizen of England, then they are classified as aliens and our law does not prohibit aliens from owning property in wizarding England. Therefore, the seizing of posessions by the ministry is against the law.'

All the members of the Wizengamot were flabbergasted by the argument. It had never occurred to them that denying magical beings, all the things that regular wizards enjoy would end up being used against them in this manner. Many of them would have found the approach to be ingenious if it was not being used against them. Furthermore, none of them had failed to notice that Berkley kept mentioning 'magical beings' instead of werewolves. This meant that he was not constraining his argument to werewolves, which opened a Pandora's box that no one had ever dared to open before. Things had spun way out of control.

Grudgingly and reluctantly, the discussion about rights and responsibilities began. Sequestered for five days and nights, the Wizengamot examined the individual rights and responsibilities of a citizen and with dawning horror, they all began to see a pattern that led to the conclusion that magical beings were not citizens because they did not enjoy the priviledges of citizenship. By the time they finished the discussion, all the members of the Wizengamot were exhausted but relieved. They were relieved because they could now escape the chamber that had become a chamber of nightmares for some as they tabulated just how much property and money they would have to give back.

The next day, the wizarding world woke up to a full account of the proceedings in the prophet and a declaration that the former werewolves would be able to reclaim what they had lost.

From where he was sitting at the Gryffindor table, Harry looked at Draco, who had also turned to look at him and wondered what would happen to his husband when all his machinations became public. Harry was in no doubt that the truth would be revealed in due time and Draco would garner more enemies than he already had. It worried him, but there was nothing to be done about it; it's not like he could change anything about Draco even if he was given a chance to. Either way, he was very proud of his husband so he discretely gave Draco a thumbs up which elicited a smile from the Slythetin.

The following days saw many articles that could not have been better if the Grey faction had written them.

 ** _Werewolves to be given back their properties on account of them being non-citizens when the properties were confiscated._**

 ** _Former werewolf Lord Edwin Berkley fights for his unfortunate contemporaries._**

 ** _Ministry forms a department to deal with property reclaims._**

 ** _Is the Berkley family regaining its influence?_**

 ** _The Impartiality law makes an appearance after a century of disuse._**

Draco was happy that they had managed to pull off their plan, but he could not afford to dwell on it since he was on a tight schedule; Dragon World was about to do something that would garner the wizarding world's outrage. Snickering evilly, Draco sat down to write the letters that would set the next phase in motion.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

I am sure some of you want to murder me for taking this long to update but I beg for forgiveness. I have been going through some things which made it hard to upload. I also apologise that I did not reply to the reviews since the last chapter-it's already 6 a.m and I am hoping to catch two hours of sleep before I need to get up for work.

That said, chapter 39 is relatively long and I hope that you enjoyed it.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter forty as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


	40. A Portrait of the Wizarding World

**Chapter 40 – A portrait of the Wizarding World**

Without waiting for the Wizarding world to fully absorb everything that had happened in the Wizengamot, Dragon World announced that it would release a potion that would allow vampires to walk in the sun. Draco knew that the Wizarding world would need some time to get accustomed to the idea of coexisting with vampires so he had set the launch date of the potion for the 1st of June which was two weeks from the announcement date. However, he had seriously underestimated the Wizarding world's negative feelings towards vampires as he soon came to realise minutes after the daily prophet hit people's tables.

Less than an hour after people read the announcement in their morning papers, an outraged crowd of protestors appeared in front of Dragon World's store in Diagon Alley. The gathered wizards had initially come to Dragon World to protest as individuals, but upon discovering others who had also been outraged by the news, they became organised. Soon enough, protest placards appeared and all the robes of the protestors were transfigured into white hooded robes. The gathered also had white masks that covered their faces which was eerily reminiscent of death eater costumes. However, everyone who saw the protestors failed to make the connection with death eaters because they were too busy looking at the placards and the back of the robes where a wizarding video had been charmed to play on replay. The video showed what appeared to be a vampire snapping the neck of a fragile witch, brutally sinking his fangs into the innocent victim's neck, and draining all her blood until her body lost all colour. The image was horrifying and it fuelled the Wizarding world's outrage when it appeared in the following day's prophet causing the number of protestors outside of Dragon World to triple.

The protestors called for a boycott of Dragon World if the company refused to comply with the wishes of the public; going as far as to harass the customers who went to the store. By the fourth day of the protest, no one was willing to physically go to the store and all business shifted to owl orders, but even that stopped by the fifth day since the protestors had begun stunning all owls that approached the store. There was no doubt that the situation was getting out of hand and even though the ministry of magic had already asked Dragon world to stop the launch of the product, Draco didn't feel as if he could.

The vampires at Dragon castle were willing to wait until the wizarding world was more tolerant of the idea, but in his mind, Draco could not accept the unfairness of it all. The vampires had done nothing to deserve this extreme intolerance from the wizarding world, but he also could not carelessly disregard the worries of the wizarding world because he knew better than anyone that if he callously handled the situation, it would only enlarge the rift between wizards and vampires.

The dilemma was taking a toll on Draco and although most people at Hogwarts failed to notice it, Harry did not. He had become so attuned to the moods and actions of his husband that there was no way he could have failed to notice that Draco was brooding over something.

Harry knew he was not as smart as Hermione and definitely not as much as Draco, but his instincts more than made up for what he lacked in smarts. The Order and Dumbledore had investigated and found that Draco did not own Dragon World but Harry's instincts told him that that was not the case. The name, the timing of the opening, Draco's finances, and strange reactions like when Hermione attempted to explain the valentines' flower spell among others had made Harry very suspicious. However, it was the actual spells and potions that Dragon World released that made Harry certain that Draco was the owner.

Draco Malfoy was incredibly smart, but unexpectedly and Harry was sure that not many people would believe him on this, the Slytherin was kinder than anyone. His kindness was not obvious and rarely in anyone's face, but it was unmistakable to those who received it. It was there in all the potions and spells that Dragon World produced-whether in the taste, the price, or the intention. Harry had no proof whatsoever to back his assumption that Draco was the owner of Dragon World but his instincts told him that he wasn't wrong.

It was this assumption that clued Harry as to why Draco had been brooding over the past few days. Dragon World's situation was dire and although Harry was also apprehensive about the potion for vampires, he trusted Draco. He knew that Draco would not intentionally and maliciously expose the wizarding world to danger despite everything that had been done to him. That said, he could not outrightly say all this to Draco because the blonde had not confided in him about Dragon World. For days, Harry did not know how to help his husband until an idea occurred to him one evening; when he got back to the East tower after training with Dumbledore.

Draco was sitting on the sofa, scowling darkly as he reread that day's daily prophet when Harry came in. Glad to cease his unfruitful pondering for a few minutes, he placed the paper down and smiled at his approaching husband.

'I am back.' Harry, said, a smile plastered on his tired face.

'Welcome back.' Draco called back and patted the space next to him on the sofa, indicating that Harry should sit with him. 'Did your training go well?'

'Same as usual.' Harry answered as he took the offered seat. ' ... and your evening?'

'Same as usual.' Draco said with a smile, but he subconsciously glanced at his discarded prophet which gave Harry the opening he needed.

'I wonder what Dragon World will do about all this; what would you do if you were the owner of Dragon World?' Harry asked casually.

For a full minute, Draco did not answer as he studied Harry's face trying to figure out where that question had come from all of a sudden. Harry had gotten much better at hiding his feelings, but he was yet to master the art so Draco could detect that the question was not as coincidental as Harry was trying to make it appear. Draco had his suspicions about what was going on but, in the end, he decided to answer.

'Well, I don't think I would back down.' Draco answered cautiously.

'Why?'

'What do you mean, why?' Draco asked in confusion.

'Why wouldn't you back down?' Harry clarified.

'Because there is no reason to.' The Slytherin answered confidently. This much he was sure of.

'Hmm, I see.' Harry said thoughtfully. 'It could be that the owner of Dragon World is also thinking the same thing..., don't you think that people would be more accepting if they knew why the owner thinks that vampires pose no threat to the wizarding world?'

'You are probably right.' Draco answered thoughtfully as some things occurred to him.

All this time, he had been expecting the wizarding world to accept vampires without actually giving them a reason to do so. It was only natural that they would be resistant to the idea given everything that had been taught to them at both home and school about vampires. Feeling hopeful for the first time in days, Draco leaned in and excitedly hugged Harry before he realised what he was doing and pulled back.

'I don't know if the owner of Dragon World is married, but if he or she is, I hope that their spouse is as wise mine.' Draco said with a smile at Harry. 'It would be a pity if the product launch failed because he or she could not find a way to change public sentiment.'

'I hope so too.' Harry said with a smile. He did not know what decision Draco had come to, but he was glad that he had managed to help without revealing that he knew who the owner was. Two days later, Harry's curiosity about Draco's decision was answered by the daily prophet.

Draco could not conduct a face to face interview with any paper except the Quibbler but he had worked around that by writing a letter which was printed in all the major papers and magazines.

 _To the wizarding world,_

The letter began.

 _I am writing this letter as both the owner and inventor of Dragon World with the purpose of engaging all of you in a discussion._

 _First, I will explain my thought process for every product that is released to the market. Before I make a product, I gather all the available information and logically think about the consequences of making and launching the product. I think about the consequences to myself, the person who uses the product, and the public at large._

 _That said, this is what I knew about vampires before I ever thought about making this product:_

 _Vampires are immortal._

 _Vampires can't walk in the sun._

 _Vampires feed on blood._

 _Vampires do not hesitate to kill their victims in order to feed thus vampires are a danger to both magical and non-magical beings and creatures._

 _Vampires are sadistic creatures who enjoy toying with and torturing other living beings._

 _This perception of vampires was born from lore rather than substantive sources as I later came to find out. By coincidence, I met a vampire at the beginning of this year, which made me realise my ignorance and arrogance._

 _The vampire is kinder than most people I have encountered in my life and he is the type of person whose smile always manages to make others smile. He is a person who is very tolerant of others and does not discriminate based on species or some such other technicality. He is a person who does not perceive anyone that is different from him as the enemy because he understands that a person's merit is not derived from the form of their existence but by the choices they make._

 _The attitude of this one vampire is not an isolated case because I had the opportunity to meet more of his people. They were unlike what I had been led to believe and it occurred to me that we, as a wizarding community, have allowed ourselves to be deluded into thinking that values like kindness, patience, and rationality among others, are a preserve of wizardkind. This way of thinking is egoistic, arrogant, and shameful._

 _Over the months, I have come to know the vampires in my acquaintance and I can confidently call them my friends. That said, these are some of the things I have found out about them:_

 _Vampires are immortal._

 _Vampires can't walk in the sun._

 _Vampires feed on blood._

 _Vampires have a very strict code when it comes to their feeding habits and they do not kill humans and creatures for blood nor do they take blood from just anyone._

 _Vampires do not take blood from humans or creatures that are not their mate, once they have mated._

 _Vampires are willing to give wizards a chance._

 _With this in mind, I decided to make a potion that would allow them to walk in the sun and I have succeeded. They, like all humans, are creatures of nature and they deserve to enjoy the things nature has to offer without fear. They shouldn't be relegated to the fringes of society because we wizards fear what we do not know, and don't understand._

 _I also found the following information from the ministry of magic archives._

 _In the last century:_

 _There have been twenty-three documented attacks on a human by a vampire, and one death._

 _There have been nine thousand and fifty-five attacks on a wizard, by a wizard, leading to death._

 _There have been six instances where a vampire was captured and tortured by wizards._

 _From where I stand, wizards are their own worst enemy and I have not heard anyone say that humans should be stripped of their rights, and crippled so that they do not pose a threat to the other creatures of nature._

 _The instinct for self-preservation is only natural, but when that turns into irrational fear, then it becomes a yoke that prevents progress. In this world, there are very few creatures and beings that warrant the fear we have of them, and I choose not to let my fear of the unknown get the better of me._

 _Here is how I see it-I will fulfil my own sense of social justice by releasing this potion, the vampires will be able to enjoy the sun like every person should have the option to, and the public will be released from the grips of a fear that has reigned for the past one thousand years._

 _My challenge to you is to provide information that warrants the irrational fear we have of vampires. If there is a truly rational objection for this potion, I will destroy it right away. Otherwise, Dragon World will launch the potion as planned on the 1st of June._

 _The world is big enough for all of us, so there is no need to deny others a place they can exist fairly. Remember, no one ever achieved anything by standing still so let's take this first step to reconcile all of magic's children._

 _Please take some time to really think about this matter. Is it really unacceptable for us to allow the vampires some sun?_

 _Thank you for listening._

 _The Owner and Inventor of Dragon World_

Harry could not help but smile as he read the letter. It had answered everything he had wanted to know and also challenged him to question his own sense of righteousness when it came to his perception about vampires. This was something that only Draco would have the courage to do and Harry felt proud as he discretely stole a look at his husband who was seated in his usual place across the room.

Harry, however, could not help but be sad when he noticed that Draco had only signed the letter with his titles and not his name. He knew why Draco had done that and it made him ashamed that he and the wizarding world had pushed Draco out of the light and forced him to live in the shadows where light did not reach. Draco Malfoy was not allowed to be a genius who came up with inventions that steered the wizarding world a thousand years into the future. Draco Malfoy was not allowed to care about the world and its people. Draco Malfoy was simply not allowed to be human, and he reminded Harry of Dorian Gray's portrait. He was so beautiful, so capable, but his image had been marred by the ugliness of the world. The beautiful Dragon was forced to be the incarnation of the wizarding world's sins and until the wizarding world began taking responsibility for its own actions and bias, Draco and others like him would continue to be hidden away and forced to be the personification of ugliness and evil.

'Harry?' Someone called drawing him from his own thoughts.

'What?' He asked Ginny, who for some reason had decided to sit next to him despite his refusal to get back together.

'I am asking what you think of this.' She said testily. 'I for one think that whoever the inventor of Dragon World is, is bonkers. Vampires are dark creatures; that is enough to distrust them.'

Harry frowned because he no longer perceived everything as either dark or light. He normally would not express such thoughts, but he felt that he could not let this precious opportunity that Draco had created go to waste. It was time for people to begin thinking outside of the dark and light constructs.

'I think the inventor is right.' He said, shocking the other Gryffindors who were listening, 'I don't think it is right that vampires are treated the way they are, just because they are dark creatures.'

'Harry, you don't know anything.' Ron argued. 'We all grew up hearing about vampires and personally, I don't want to meet one.'

'Ron, the author of that letter did not ask anyone to meet or befriend the vampires.' Harry clarified. 'He just asked to be allowed to give them the potion.'

'So that they can walk with us in the sun!' Ron snorted. 'Who knows what they will do once they can freely walk where normal humans are?'

'You are being unreasonable Ron.' Harry said. 'It's not like someone monitors for vampires at night in Diagon Alley. There are probably many who walk around there at night, and I for one haven't heard reports of people being attacked all over the place.'

Ron snorted again. 'Probably because they are killing and hiding the bodies.'

'Don't you think someone would have noticed if so many have disappeared?' Neville Anyway, thank you for reading and, surprising everyone. Neville really didn't know what had made him speak up, but he felt that he needed to. It's not because the inventor of Dragon World had come up with the potion that cured his parents, but because he felt it was the right thing to say. He had also grown up hearing about how vampires terrorised the wizarding world, but he had never met or heard of a specific person that was attacked.

'If you haven't noticed, people are disappearing left and right.' Ron argued.

'…...and they have been since He-who-must-not-be-named came back.' Lavender Brown added.

'Vampires are dark creatures.' Hermione said. 'I have read all about them Harry, and it's in their nature to be dark.'

'Hermione, werewolves are also dark creatures and Remus Lupin is one of the gentlest people I have ever met.' Harry said, daring Hermione to contradict him and even though she seemed like she wanted to, she kept her mouth shut. 'What does dark mean anyway?'

'It means they use dark magic.' Ginny answered as if it was the simplest thing in the world, and she was surprised that someone didn't know that.

' …...and what is wrong with dark magic?' Someone asked and they all turned to look at the person who had asked the question. He was one of the foreign students that had been sorted into Gryffindor and Harry recalled that he had been introduced as David Mwangi from the Uagadou school of magic.

'Dark magic is magic that hurts people. It is magic that goes against nature. The unforgivable, and fiendfyre are some examples.' Hermione answered the boy using a polite yet condescending voice.

'In Uagadaou, we are taught that there is no such thing as bad magic that hurts people.' Mwangi informed.'It is people who use magic to hurt others, that are bad.'

'Also, your examples are not dark magic.' Haruna Takahashi, a Gryffindor foreign student from the Mahoutokoro school of magic added.

'I assure you, they are dark magic.' Hermione insisted.

'It is true what they say...'Someone said and Harry noticed that when he was not paying attention, Draco had for some reason walked to the Gryffindor table and had been eavesdropping on the conversation for the last few minutes.

'Those who cannot learn, teach.' Draco continued, eliciting sniggers from some of the Gryffindors. 'Fiendfyre is fire magic and the unforgivables are soul magic. There are several books in the library that are quite in depth on the nature and classification of magic, familiarise yourself with them before you attempt to teach someone again.'

'I need to talk to you, Potter.' Draco said and walked away as if nothing had happened. Unwilling to linger and be a witness to Hermione's oncoming tirade, Harry quickly followed the blonde out of the Great hall.

'That was a bit awesome.' Harry said when they were behind a closed door in an empty classroom.

'I don't like it when people try to rationalise their ignorance with brute reason.' Draco intoned with a frown which was immediately replaced by a smile as he looked at his husband.

Harry laughed in good humour before asking what Draco wanted to talk to him about.

'I missed you.' Draco answered and Harry's eyebrow went up.

'Didn't we part a few minutes ago just before breakfast?'

'Well, I missed you between that time and now.' The blonde said imperiously. 'Do you have a problem with that?'

Harry almost burst out in laughter at the stubborn tilt of Draco's jaw and the way he pouted like a naughty child who stuck between being defiant and being embarrassed. Instead, Harry smiled and flung out his arms to encircle the blonde in a hug. After all, it's not like he was any different- every minute he spent away from Draco felt like a lifetime.

To be continued…

 **Author's Note:**

Hello people. Chapter forty is here and I hope you liked it.

Thank you for the reviews, favourites, and follows. Please review some more and let me know what you think. I will upload chapter forty-one as soon as I can, preferably next Thursday. Until then, keep safe.


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